Money is the most sensitive issue in the whole hiring process. Discussing the compensation often causes anxiety on both employee and employer. Here are seven ways to make the process of salary negotiating efficient.

1) Research: Before the interview process begins, contact the professional organization that represents your field of career. As soon as they provide you with your salary information, you can now examine your monthly cash requirements. Remember that once your taxes are added to your paycheck, approximately 30% of your gross monthly salary is deducted.

2) Determine your skills: You should understand that different segments of the economy require a variety of skills depending on the industry setting. Once you have established what your skills are and what they are worth to the current employment market, you would know the limitations of your negotiation.

Salary range information is available at American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries, National Association of College and Employers, Career Center, and professionals in your related field.

In stating your salary range, avoid basing your desired salary on your current salary. Always tell the truth when it comes to your past salary. It is acceptable to extend a range to approximately $6,000 to show that you are within the company’s price range but interested in more compensation.

3) Weigh the company’s compensation package: To determine your fair market value for a specific job, you should consider the economic, geographic, and industry factors of the job offer. Weigh the benefits of compensation and promotions, insurance, allowed time off and retirement settlements of the offer to ensure a fair proposed salary.

4) Sell yourself: If you know what you could offer the company requires a larger income, never say it directly. Once you sell yourself discreetly, the interviewer would understand that the proposed salary is not appropriate for your background.

5) Have a positive attitude: In negotiating, never compete. Negotiation is basically a process which could benefit both parties. Understand your needs and those of the company.

6) The final offer: Be aware when the negotiation is done. Pushing further when a deal has been set could give a negative first impression on your part.

7) Show what you are made of: The interview is only the first step in having an enhanced compensation. Once you are hired, offer your skills to the company and prove your worth by doing quality work. You may even get a promotion for doing so.

Based from a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, four out of five employees are willing to negotiate compensation. Understanding these basic tips will allow you to enhance the terms of your new job.

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Fresh out of college, most people are excited about landing that first job. Given that most grads do not have work experience or only had a part time job while studying, it is not easy to secure an executive position right away.

Starting from scratch, one has no choice but to start from the bottom in an entry-level position then in time move to the top. The challenge most grads face in applying for a job is the competition. Aside from those who just graduated, there are also those who have left the previous job and are looking for a new one.

According to hiring and compensation experts, there is not that much room to negotiate when one is just a fresh grad. This is because that person does not have substantial work experience as basis to negotiate for a higher wage compared to those who have already worked before.

The range of the salary fresh grads get are based on the course one has finished in college. To those who volunteered to be surveyed, it was found that people who graduated from the sciences were able to get a higher salary compared to those who graduated from the liberal arts.

A tip that may help a little in the negotiation process is knowing your potential and not easily giving in or selling yourself short. In the course of an interview, it will boil down to the how much you will be getting. Most fresh grads accept what is given immediately and reply “ok” ending it there.

It is best to only talk about the salary when an offer has been made. If the interviewer is good, it can wait. During that time, one can try asking how much the company will give for someone in that position then be able to negotiate about that further later on regardless of the figure that was given.

The applicant can then ask questions such as job responsibilities and mention that the contribution one can give to the company is more important than the salary you will be receiving showing the recruiter you are a team player.

Applicants can negotiate more by doing research on how much other companies are offering for the same job before giving an immediate answer. By knowing that information, it is possible for you to negotiate the salary offered for a little more.

Getting a job is not only about a salary. This includes other things that the company offers to its employees and by thoroughly checking out the other benefits and perks, it can also help in deciding whether the applicant should accept the job or not.

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Teaching across the curriculum is an increasingly popular way of instructing students because it covers a variety of subjects in one lesson – which is why it is especially important in the career planning field as well. Let’s say you have a high school student who isn’t quite sure what he or she wants to do for a career. Teaching across the curriculum involves all subjects in one main lesson topic and can really help with that high school student when he or she is planning a career for the future.

When an instructor teaches across the curriculum, he or she is incorporating all subjects into a lesson plan. That means that one lesson includes instruction in art, science, reading, math, English, and social studies. Teaching across the curriculum allows a student to be introduced to various ways to incorporate learning into life and that includes career planning as he or she gets older.

Career planning cannot start early enough although we think that elementary students should really be concentrating on something more along the lines of the next kick ball game on the playground during recess. However, in high school, career planning should really begin in earnest, and when the course includes teaching across the curriculum, that student will be introduced to ways that all different subject areas in school can apply to a career choice.

More and more teachers have been learning how to teach across the curriculum. It is an excellent way to show students how different subjects apply to all aspects of life. In career planning decisions, knowing this information is wonderful for preparing the student for a jump into college and then the career world. That’s why it’s important for a teacher to teach across the curriculum – to help the student in his or her career planning aspirations.

At the career planning center, you may find classes and seminars that implement teaching across the curriculum. That’s because they know the value of introducing people and students to the various ways that all subjects in education can be advantageous in almost any career. After all, even art can be implemented into an accounting career. Imagine the beauty of a spreadsheet that is created in a publishing program that looks appealing to the eye. Right there, you have math incorporated with art!

Teaching across the curriculum in schools should and probably will continue. When it comes to career planning, teaching across the curriculum is a great way to help students choose a career they will love and will be able to succeed at.

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Are you a fresh graduate and planning to look for a job? Did you just recently quit your job and are looking for greener pastures? Are you unemployed and have little experience regarding ways to secure a job? Whatever your situation may be, it would be to your advantage to study the following tips:

Check your resume for mistakes

Before submitting your resume to a prospective employer, check your resume for corrections at least three times before handing it over. After researching about the job position, it is critical that you format your resume to match the needs of the company. For example, if you are applying for an accounting job, you should put in detail your accounting experience on your resume. Typographical and grammatical errors are serious no-no’s. It is also ideal to keep the length of the resume’ to at least a page and a half long.

Taking the interview challenge

A survey conducted by a staffing and consulting firm based in California which corresponded with 1,400 chief financial officers concluded that candidates for employment made most of their mistakes on their interviews. Some of the mistakes they made include: arriving late, having little knowledge about the company and the position applied for, and having a superiority complex and behaving arrogantly. The body language of the applicant must also denote that he is confident yet not overpowering. He must maintain eye contact, have a strong handshake, and avoid looking defensive by the act of crossing the arms. Wearing the right clothes is crucial for projecting a confident stance. As they say, it is better to go to an interview over-dressed than being under-dressed.

Answer questions smartly

A common mistake of interviewees is that they tend to get tense and forget the questions that are given to them, which has the effect that they are not prepared for the interview. It is important to research about the company and the position applied for to prevent being side-tracked during the interview. If you do not know the answer to the questions being asked, it is better to admit you don’t know the answer to the question and add that you can research about it. Look for the skills or expertise that the company is looking for so that when interview day comes and the interviewer asks about your strengths and core competencies, you will be able to match it to what they need.

Getting the necessary referrals

Having a referral from one of the company employees can go a long way toward landing an interview. A typical company may receive job applications in the hundreds and usually 35% to 60% of all job vacancies are filled by referrals. The odds of getting hired when you have a referral are very high if you have another 200 to 500 applicants vying for the same position. If you do not know anyone from the company that may give you a referral, it is a good idea to the alumni network of your college, trade groups, social networks, and professional associations. Remember, having a referral greatly increases your chances of getting the position.

On online application

With the current trend of technology and its merging with business processes, more and more companies are now requiring prospective applicants to submit their application online. Thus, first impressions are relayed not by your first appearance but by the quality and content of your e-mail. E-mails regarding job application should be polished and well-articulated. When applying on-line, use the following tips:

Complete your sentences and do not abbreviate.

Employers do not like when you send them application letters that seem to be too casual. It is important to make a letter that is both formal and well written. This gives a good impression regarding your capabilities and skills.

Get directly to the point

When writing an application letter, you must be concise and straightforward. Do not put a story on the letter just to get the attention of the employer, chances are he or she will just get irritated with you and this only reduces your chances of getting hired.

Consider potential issues that may hinder you from getting the job

Although there are instances wherein there is a lot of need for a job but the requirements for the position may entail training programs that may bar you from getting the position due to its highly competitive nature. Some require a lot of experian even at least 3 years of work experience. Some may have no barriers to entry but the job itself may entail a very routine work flow.

Getting the job you want may be a challenge but never lose hope. It is better to wait a while and get the job that you will enjoy rather than get a job as soon as possible but ending up dissatisfied and unhappy. Make the right decision then act on it.

When one goes for an interview, the potential employer has no idea of who the applicant is. In some cases, the person applied to the ad while others used a headhunter or job site on the internet and matched their credentials for the position.

The first impression employers always look at is one’s resume. Given the many that apply, this usually takes about 30 seconds and so with the limited words, one must be sure that the resume is well written and grammatically correct.

The resume must say almost everything about the person. This should always start with pertinent information such as the person’s name, age, address, contact number and social security number. The details here are needed so if one is considered to be a potential employer, it will be easy for the company to get in touch with the applicant and be scheduled for an interview.

Next is the career objective which is the reason why the applicant wants to apply for the position. By putting a strong goal in mind and not a general one, the employer will see that this person has a direction which is why that person wants to work for the company.

The next section should include the relevant skills and knowledge one has had in the current and previous jobs as well as highlighting one’s major accomplishments. By putting in detail the things one has done in that position and experiences learned from it, that information is already basis for the employer to see the potential the applicant has for that position. It shows the qualities one possesses and the benefits one can contribute to the further growth of the company.

After that, the resume should show one’s educational background. Some companies prefer someone with a degree in a certain field, a licensed professional to do the job or one who possesses a master’s degree. By showing one’s credentials, it is a good indicator of the type of training one has possessed in school and the accomplishments one has achieved in the course of one’s career.

The latter section should provide details such as hobbies, interests and character references. Employers look at potential applicants who not only have the qualifications for the job but also those who also those who are well rounded. Being active in a certain organization and be seen as a leader in a group shows one’s social skills with others. Character references do the same and give people an idea how one performed working with that person.

There is no ideal resume. It depends on the job. It is an important step one must pass before being called for that first interview.

Accounting graduates, have broader choices and specific paths to follow with their careers. Accounting requires a lot of skills when it comes to business and that is why every company has an employee that is an accounting graduate. If you are an accounting graduate, you can apply in any kind of firm. Areas may include tax, audit, financial analysis and management accounting.

It is best that you apply for a job that matches your interests and expertise. There are careers that have been proven by most accounting graduates to bring them to the top of the success ladder and you may want to consider entering these fields.

If you are an accounting graduate who excel in public accounting, the entry-level positions that best fit this skill are Tax Staff, Consulting/ Management Services and Staff Auditor. With these positions you will do your duties reporting to a senior. Once you have acquired three to six years of experience in any of these positions, you may then want to consider applying for the higher levels like Tax Senior, Senior Auditor, and Consulting Senior where the position entails reporting directly to a Manager. After six years of excelling with these potions, then you may consider the positions Partner level and Senior Partner.

Having an edge with corporate accounting, one to three years of experience will qualify you to become a staff member in Internal Audit, Tax Accounting, Management, and Financial Accounting. Moving up the higher lever after three to six years, you will be eligible for the Senior Level for Internal Audit, Tax Accounting and Management Accounting. Six years thereafter, you may want to consider aiming for the positions like the Tax Manager, Internal Audit Manager and Financial Accounting Manager.

Expertise in Financial Management, Staff for Financial Planning, Cash Management, and Credit Analysis are options for entry-level positions. Once you have gained the enough experience, you may aim for the Treasury Operations, Credit Analysis and Senior Financial Planning. Higher positions will include Treasurer, Manager for Credit Analysis and Financial Planning.

These career options are traditional paths that were found to fit best for accounting graduates. However, it does not mean that they are the only way to climb up the success ladder. You should go beyond not just limit your skills to accounting. It is still recommended that you gain enough work experience, acquire knowledge in different aspects of education, and continue to improve your character to be a step ahead with other job seekers.

We see them everywhere, in Magazines, on the Run Way, in advertisements on TV. They are the slender women strutting their stuff or extra ordinary Beauties with their sultry looks flashing their pearly whites while wearing the newest Styles from the hottest Designers. We are talking about the fashion models of today, yesterday and tomorrow. They are everywhere we look, but who brings them to us? Their images are captures with care and precision, patience and that special look for style, color and lighting composition. I am talking about the fashion photographers.

In the fashion circles famous names like Mario Testino (easily one of the hottest names out there) and Eva Mueller (photographer for Fashion Magazine Allure) are just as sought out if not more then those men and women sauntering their way into our conscious.

High Paychecks and glamour’s Lifestyle of hob nobbing it with the rich and famous might be the dream of many young shutterbug, however it is not easy to reach the golden Staircases of the well-known fashion houses and magazines. For every one talented photographer, hundreds are left panting at the sidewalk, only dreaming about the moment that their photo will be chosen.

Here are a few tips for the novice and dreamer of dreams in getting started in fashion photography. Study your subject. You can never learn enough. Read and look at any fashion Magazine you can get your hand on. There are fantastic books on Fashion and fashion photography available. Amazon.com has a true treasure trove available.

You need one or two good cameras, tripod and a lighting system. Always make sure that you have plenty of film and batteries available. SLR and digital cameras take different photos, so make sure you find the best for your field.

When submitting your work, hopefully to give a chance you have to have a portfolio on hand, just in case the editor of the fashion magazine wants to see samples of your work. I assure you if they consider working with you that is going to be a fact.

Remember, fashion includes jewelry and accessories. Sometimes a watch from a famous maker on the slender wrist of a beautiful woman is a good fashion shoot. If you are applying for the job, be prepared to leave your Portfolio behind for an extended period of time, sometimes as much as a couple of weeks. I would advice you to make copies and have several on hand. This comes in handy when showing your work to many different people for consideration for fashion work.

In the time of modern technology, it is good to display your talent as a fashion photographer online as well. Set up a website; submit your photos to contests. Submit them to an online fashion gallery. This helps with getting your work seen and people can see what type of work you actually do and can do for them.

Nowadays, jobs falling under the health care category are one of the most in demand jobs. This is because more and more countries fall short with regards to their employees and staff in the health care industry.

In fact, aside from computers and information technology, heath care jobs are the ones that are greatly sought after by both the employers and applicants.

Aside from the increasing demand, health care jobs are also one of the best paying jobs all over the world. For example, in the United States alone, physical therapist assistants get to earn $27,500 to $ 41,780 in a year. It is also expected to grow by 46% in the years to come.

For people who are dreaming to go abroad and land a job in the health care category, here are some tips that that can help:

1. Know your craft

The problem with most people who are looking for health care jobs is that they do not know the fundamental skill needed in this kind of job: care for others.

There are many instances wherein health care jobs do not necessarily require people who have a higher education diploma in health care. So, people who have a “caring” attitude, can have a lucrative job in the health care industry.

These positions can work well for people who are looking for health care jobs. These positions pay $19,700 to $27,400 annually.

3. Success is in the keywords, For people who are searching for specific health care jobs on the Internet, it is best to narrow down their searches with some more detailed keywords. In this way, heath care job searches will reap better results.

4. Aim for the best positions in the health care industry

For people who wish to land a good job in the health care industry, it would be better to do some homework first. In this way, they can get an overview on which position has the most demands for employees and which job entails higher salaries.

In the United States’ 10 hottest job of 2005, medical assistants are the top positions in demand in the health care industry today. In fact, surveys show that the demand for medical assistants will continue to grow and will increase by 59% in 2012.

Indeed, the health care industry continues to saturate the market with a continuous growth for the demands of its services. No wonder why most people are into health care jobs!

You likely already know just how difficult it can be to get a job, or even an interview; but it needn’t be quite as difficult if you’re confident that you’ve got a strong resume. When you’ve got total confidence in your resume’s ability to sell you as a person, you’ll feel much more comfortable applying to a whole range of jobs – and it’ll show in your performance at interview. You need to look at your resume as your counterpart; once you’re in the interview it serves as your sidekick, backing you up and making you look even better. But if your resume doesn’t do its job properly, you won’t be getting one – so you need to be sure that it’s working as hard as possible. You’ve probably been told exactly what to include when writing your resume a million times. With this in mind, let’s take a look at three things you need to avoid when making a resume.

Spelling and grammar mistakes

If there’s one thing that will get your resume thrown into the jaws of the shredder faster than anything it’s consistent spelling and grammar errors. One of the main things employers look for in new starters is attention to detail and the ability to communicate well. By littering your resume with errors, you’re proving only that you’re incapable of both. Obviously some people do have problems with spelling, punctuation, and grammar; however you should always have your resume checked by another set of eyes before it gets anywhere near an employer’s desk. When you’re making a resume you should always put yourself in the shoes of your potential new boss: don’t simply write it and forget it, read it over and over and triple-check it for any inaccuracies.

Over-exaggeration (or even lies)

Here’s a simple truth: almost everyone inflates the truth slightly when making a resume. It’s only natural to use elaborative language and create a sense of passion, dedication, and motivation. That’s just fine, and it’s almost expected by employers. However, if you over-do it, or actively invent qualifications or achievements, you could get yourself into real trouble. Lots of job-seekers seem to be under the impression that employers don’t verify any of the things on your resume – but nothing could be further from the truth. OK, so they may not call up your piano teacher and check that you really did get that Grade 4, but they’re very likely to double-check your academic qualifications – so always be as honest as possible! If you really feel that you need to elaborate, you do have some room in the descriptions of previous roles. For example, it’s perfectly acceptable to take credit for a successful project if you had a good hand in it. So, this point actually works both ways: don’t lie, but don’t withhold or play down key achievements either. If you were the number one caravan insurance salesman in your city, or you secured a million dollar deal – shout about it!

Lack of direction or focus

Here’s something that the folks with the most successful resumes already know: you need to tailor your resume to the job. Because every job is different, even within the same industry, you need to be sure that your resume sells the skills that are most applicable to that role. If your resume is too ‘fluffy’ or general, employers will rapidly be turned off. You need to list the reasons why your particular skillset is perfect for the job and this job in particular. We’re not saying write an entirely new resume, far from it; you simply need to be sure that the resume fits the job. For example, if you wanted to work in marketing writing, you may want to add this to your area of interest section on your resume, rather than simply ‘marketing’. It makes you look more focused on the role, and it’ll let the employer instantly know that you are a suitable choice for the job.

There are of course many other things employers don’t like in a resume: one that’s too long, irrelevant experience listed, poor formatting, lack of detail, and much more. You’ll already know that resume writing is somewhat of an art form, but once you get it right it’ll serve you now and long into the future.

Most school counselors recommend students engage in some sort of extracurricular volunteer work in order to improve their resume. The logic is that somehow by showing up to ladle soup for homeless people or grooming stray cats and dogs will showcase your dedication and work ethic. This in turn will impress employers and hopefully give you an edge up against the competition. Does this actually work in practice?

Almost half of head hunters on LinkedIn said that volunteer work does factor in when reviewing an application. Almost half? Not impressive sounding? Well, considering that the remaining half doesn’t hold volunteer work against you, what’s there to lose? You might be able to hook at job by devoting a few extra hours and you never know, you might be rewarded by your kind deeds. Not all rewards are money, mind you. Volunteer work can quickly lead to other opportunities, even employment opportunities down the road.

So, the question is, what type of volunteer work should you pursue? This can be a tricky question to answer. Most jobs don’t have a clear volunteer analogue. For instance, if you want a job in finance, what sort of volunteer opportunity is open to you? The answer here is that really all opportunities are open. You don’t need to have a straight one and one match between what volunteer work you do and what job you want. The thing that really matters is that you take the time and volunteer.

Common volunteer positions, as mentioned earlier, include spending time with stray animals or at soup kitchens. These charity efforts are not only gracious ways to spend your time but speak highly of your generosity and kindness towards others. Plus, it also demonstrates how you can work as part of a team and put the job before personal needs. Employers pay you every two weeks but like to think you hang around the workplace for reasons beyond cold hard cash.

So listen to your school counselor. Get an early start. The sooner you start, the more experience you can log in and the better your chances of having this investment pay off. Plus, starting your volunteer work in college enables you to have access to a wide range of programs that match you up with volunteer activities. Indeed, college is the ideal setting for volunteer work because you usually have some extra time on your hands. Volunteering in the professional world is somewhat tricky since you often need to keep yourself afloat financially.

Give back and you’ll never know what you’ll get in return.

Any instances of a volunteer opportunity turning out to by career bolstering gold? Sound off in the comments section below.

It doesn’t need to be said that college students are closely linked to their cell phones. Whether its messaging during a boring class or sending out some regrettable late night texts, few have grown up without one of the devices securely fastened to their palms. While cell phones can help you with a range of tasks, one of the best ways to use your mobile device is to enhance your productivity.

A cell phone can help bolster your professional image and enable you to stay ahead of slow paced competition. Nevertheless, there are some ground rules when it comes to cell phone usage for personal reasons. First and foremost, when it comes to the workplace keep your cell phone apart from you. Few things are bigger red flags for employers than an employee hunched over their desk typing away on their cell phone keypads.

The same applies when it comes to prepping for an interview. Most people assume the interview begins when you come face to face with a hiring manager or some other authority figure. The fact of the matter is that the interview begins the minute you walk through the door. In fact, many workplaces routinely observe a potential hire as they enter and leave the building to determine how they act when not directly being watched. Refrain from texting or talking on your phone until you’re a safe distance away from prying eyes.

Now, the best way for you to maintain professional cell phone etiquette with your phone is to always be mindful of perceptions. Therefore, the first thing you are going to want to do is class up your voicemail. Screaming your name into the phone at a concert may have worked as a voicemail in college but you’re in the real world now. Keep the voicemail short and sweet. Invariably, someone important is going to call you at a bad time and they’ll be exposed to your voice mail. Make sure it’s an experience that doesn’t raise any eyebrows.

Also, use your cell phone to make timely calls. Procrastinating is easy when it comes to cell phones. You can ignore calls and delete voice mails or texts with a push of the button. However, a professional is prompt when it comes to getting back in touch with a potential employers or client. Make sure you’re on the ball and not keeping people dangling for days while you hem and haw about calling them back.

Finally, keep your social network connectivity to a minimum with your phone in the workplace. The last thing that needs to be seen by employers is Facebook or Twitter updates while you’re on the clock. Don’t think your boss is checking those? You’re so naive.

Any instances where cell phones have sunk your job prospects? Sound off below.

A workplace, much like any social setting, is a place full of distractions. Never mind the appeal of the Internet and its continual siren song emanating from your desk top thanks to the wonders of high speed connections. One of the biggest distractions you can encounter at your place of work is your fellow employees. It’s a given that you’re eyes are going to be drawn to someone making noise over at their desk or getting up to go somewhere. However, these simple distractions can add up to some significant cuts in your productivity.

In small doses, these distractions may not seem like much. For instance, say you want to get up and just chat with a friendly co-worker for a few minutes about last night’s episode of whatever. The trip to the break room may seem inconsequential but then start factoring in all the other times you drop what you’re doing to chit chat or grab a sip from the water fountain.

If it sounds nitpicky to you it’s supposed to. These little distractions are harmless. However, to your employer they are far worse than just minor detours. They are serious time sinks that draw your attention away from the task at hand, getting down to business.

So, what can be done in a situation like this to keep you on the straight and narrow that lets you stay in the good graces of your boss? The best way is to remove all sorts of social distractions from your mind. It can be hard if you’re used to chatting with your buddy from the cubicle located kitty-corner from you, but it’s something you need to give a try.

The best approach is to save up everything you need to say for lunch breaks and other designated break times. Afraid you’ll forget something? Write it down. Need a reminder not to get up from your desk for a pointless lap around the office? Put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it every time you get up from your desk. It sounds draconian but it actually works to keep you on track.

Ultimately, you’re going to have to separate your personal friendships at work from your responsibilities as an employee. A boss isn’t going to hound you continuously, unless you really got stuck with a tool. However, he or she is going to notice if you spend more time getting coffee or hanging at the water cooler than you should be. Pretend your job depends on you staying on task. It might actually be the thing that lets you keep your job during layoffs.

Any trouble staying focused or on task? Too distracted by co-workers? Sound off in the comment section.

Tough times call for tough measures on the part of the workaday warriors. Often this entails holding multiple jobs. While many people struggle to get just one job, walk around with weak (instead of compelling resumes) it is becoming more and more common for the employed to take on a second job to help make ends meet.

Some call it moonlighting while more just call it a sacrifice that needs doing. However, a conflict of interest can arise when two jobs clash, leaving you, the hard working stiff, caught in the crossfire between two occupations.

A conflict of interest is basically when one job intrudes on another. For instance, a conflict of instance usually occurs when an employee works for one company during the day but then heads over for a competitor during the night for a few hours. While it may seem like it makes sense to exercise your same skill set, albeit at competitors, to earn a paycheck, most employers frown on this conflict of interest because you are working for companies that are competing against each other. You have to be on one side or the other.

That’s why you’re ability to craft a resume that generates responses from employers is so important — you build a pipeline of employers waiting for you to leave so they can hire you.

Another type of clashing interest could be when one job is too tiring or operates at late hours, thereby affecting your performance at your other place of employment. This is the typical dilemma experienced by moonlighters who often need to work late hours to make ends meet. This in turn leaves them too drained to be productive at their daytime job.

Finally, another form of multiple interests conflicting is when the workplace ethics of one job are contradicted by a second job. For instance, if you work at your church or some other sober institution, your superiors may frown on your second job as a bartender or bouncer at a dance club. The two jobs are simply operating in different spheres and if one finds out about the other, trouble can arise.

So, how do you avoid a conflict of interest from arising? The best way is to be mindful of each job’s standards of conduct. You often sign these when you start working and it never hurts to keep yourself informed. Being prepared can pay off big time since covering your bases can help prevent you having to quit one of your jobs.

It sucks having multiple jobs and a conflict of interest rarely arises. However, when it does it often causes a world of hurt, forcing you to choose between occupations. Play it safe and keep yourself informed to avoid any sticky situations in the long run.

Any instances of a conflict of interest in your experiences? Sound off below and let us know.

When times are good, people tend to behave better. Not to make sweeping generalizations but the better off the circumstances someone is in, as in things are easy going and life is on the up and up, the better they act. We’re nicer, friendlier and more apt to work harder. However, once trouble rears its ugly head, these niceties tend to fly out the window in a scramble to stay on top. Call it the Lord of the
Flies syndrome but humans tend to tear each other apart during stressful situations. How can you keep your cool at work when things start to go against you?

First and foremost, try and distance yourself from the problem. Identify what you’re up against. Is a particular client or customer giving you a hard time? Try and understand why. Depending on where you work this may be easier said than done. If you are face to face with a person it’s a bit harder to keep your cool compared to the safe distance of email where you can gather your thoughts. Understanding their actions is better than reacting to them since it lets you strike at the root of the problem rather than the symptoms.

Is a co-worker giving you crap about this or that, making snide comments or complaining about you behind your back? Don’t let the problem simmer in the back of your mind, eating away at you and causing undue stress. Confront the individual about their actions. Try and have some other employees present who can back you up if a supervisor needs to get involved.

Are layoffs looming on the horizon and making you go nuts with worry? Step back for a minute and evaluate your performance. If you’ve been following along with this website you should be in good shape. However, the key is to maintain distance between the problems of the workplace and your own personal life. Don’t let the bad vibes of work disrupt your patterns.

The reason behind all of these suggestions is that stress happens in the workplace. It’s unavoidable. Dealing with the stress, handling it and moving past it allows you to function better as a worker. In time, demonstrating an ability to step back from a problem and to objectively deal with it will pay off. Your boss will notice. Hopefully. Your co-workers will likely hone in on your positive energy. First and foremost, however, you’ll be able to save your sanity when things get rough at work. Shrug it off and don’t sweat the small stuff.

How are things for you down at the office? Can you keep cool under pressure? Leave a comment below.

Finding the right job is the ultimate goal for job seekers. Often this entails balancing out a number of factors such as what’s your skill set and education, what’s available and what you can see yourself doing. You’re bound to go right in the workplace if you can reconcile all of these elements. However, there is one factor that often is overlooked by job seeking hopefuls. That factor is the degree of autonomy you can expect in the workplace.

Each job varies on the level of autonomy granted to its employees. If you’re a truck driver, you pretty much have free reign while you’re on the clock. Standing on an assembly line is a different story. Now, those two examples are pretty uncommon jobs for college graduates to hold but they are still accurate examples. Some jobs allow you room to breathe with minimal oversight. Other positions are closely monitored by authority figures. Your preference depends on your work style.

No one likes a manager breathing down their neck. It’s overbearing, annoying and offensive. However, some workers actually perform better with the structure closely involved management provides. Yeah, structure. Scary word for young people because it implies all sorts of boundaries and limits. Nevertheless, there is some value in a structured work environment. You get stuff done on time. You work harder when you have expectations placed on you. And, if you mess up, retribution is close at hand to put you back on track.

All of this may sound like a buzz kill. Who wouldn’t want the open freedom of an unstructured workplace? You get to do what you want, when you want, as long as you turn in your work when it’s due. You could slack off all month and just churn everything out the day before it’s due. It’s just like college but you’re getting paid instead.

Still, a lot of people sink in these situations. Remember late night cram sessions? Did you ever feel confident when you pulled those off? Your professors may have let you slide by on shoddy work but an employer isn’t going to be so forgiving. Results are expected and mistakes are often not tolerated.

Therefore, you need to be serious with yourself. Can you really handle an unstructured, autonomous workplace? It may be a more attractive option but it can lead you to the unemployment line if you’re not careful.

Where do you fall on this spectrum? Can you handle a more open workplace or do you need structure to function? Sound off below.

There’s going to come a time when your boss saunters over your desk/cubicle/hot dog cart to give you some feedback on your performance. It happens all the time and it’s a big part of middle management’s job specifications. However, there are times when this mostly well intentioned critique is going to come off a bit harsh. What does the boss know about your day to day work? She’s busy in her office all day. How does she know what it’s like in the trenches? As much as this may be a natural reaction to your indignation, bite your tongue at all costs.

Feedback given to you at work is essential to holding onto your job. How? Bosses are ultimately the ones who determine if you keep your job. There may come times when you’re simply “too important” for a company to lose, but these are few and far between. Most people work in a team based job environment where everyone needs to set aside egos and come together for the greater good. Standing out from the crowd and being that all important X-factor can happen from time to time, but, more often than not, you’ll likely find yourself having to play along with the team.

Therefore, taking feedback graciously is key to ingratiating yourself with your employer and looking like a team player in the eyes of your co-workers. Who wants to work side by side with an arrogant blowhard? You don’t want to be that guy who overreacts to a harmless little piece of criticism that, out of context, seems a lot worse than it really is.

So, what’s the best way to take criticism without getting hot under the collar? Simply try and understand what your boss is saying. A lot of the language may be cloaked in politically correct dialogue. The point he or she is trying to make might get lost. However, with feedback, there is always a point. Perhaps you need to turn something in a little bit quicker next time. Maybe you should refrain from taking the responsibilities of another worker. How about you stop eating other people’s lunches? Feedback always has a
purpose.

Nevertheless, the real upside to taking feedback well is that you earn some serious kudos with the boss if you not only listen to his or
her feedback but you actually do something to enact it. Call it a double play if you will but that combo of good communication skills with a healthy dose of deference for authority will go a long way towards making you seem like the desirable commodity that really is too valuable to let go whenever the economy is in the toilet.

Any instances where tempers flared when you were given feedback? Sound off in the comment section and share the fisticuffs.

Many of the articles written for this site advocate that you think outside of the box to get yourself noticed. Be bold. Be big. Be confident. However, this should always be done with a bit of common sense. While it certainly does pay to get your resume to stand out and to jump ahead of the herd, can this be taken too far? Is there a line you should always stay behind in order to not appear too desperate for a job?

There most certainly is. Looking like you want the job is certainly a plus on your end. However, there is a line between needy and
desperate, and not desperate as in you need money so you don’t starve, but desperate in the creepy, eerie, get away from me sort of way. Looking desperate is just a way of looking unprofessional. As much as businesses reward employees and job seekers who go above and beyond the call of duty, they still want their workers to maintain a level of dignity and professionalism with their work. This means take it easy on the callbacks, calm down on the emails and try not to barge into your potential boss’s office.

Beyond desperation, you also have the danger of being overconfident, even cocky, when approaching a potential job. There are tons of instances where people, in an effort to appear confident, go way over the line and turn off a prospective workplace due to their actions. Such deeds include being too personal on an interview, too showy with their resume, presuming you already have the job or just over stepping your bounds and making it seem that you’ve gone ahead and made the hiring decision on the employer’s behalf.

Restrain your brimming confidence if you can. There are times when you might apply to a position that you are needlessly overqualified for. However, approach the job with humility. If you’re applying to something you’re overqualified for, then you must be getting to the end of your options. Sure it may be degrading having to wait tables when you have a Master’s, but
you applied to the job. No one forced you to suit up with some flair in the first place.

It may sound like trying to have your cake and eat it too, but the best way to approach a job is with a combination of confidence,
ambition and humility. Know when to strike forward and grab the attention of an employer and know when to back off and let things unfold. Looking too desperate or too cocky is a sure way to put the kibosh on your job chances.

Have you been guilty of any of these faux pas? Sound off below and share what you know.

For those who are fortunate to have a family member own a business, the temptation to hop onboard and carry forward the tradition hangs heavy. What’s not to love about a family business? You know the boss. They know you. You’re pretty much guaranteed a job if you want one. Plus, you can take over one day if you play your cards right. However, while jumping into the family business may seem like a surefire career move, there are plenty of chances for this move to sink your job prospects and leave you stuck in place.

Perhaps the biggest drawback to getting into the family business is the weight of responsibility falling onto your shoulders. While
answering phones at your uncle’s law firm or pushing a lawnmower for your dad’s landscaping business sounds all well and good during your teenage and college years, but there’s going to come a time when these positions may not be enough.

However, expectations can often be placed on family members to step into the business and carry it forward. This can be especially hard for a child taking over for a parent or if the business is an old one handed down for generations.

Now, there is nothing wrong with taking over the family business, especially if it’s something you’ve had your eye on for some time.
Nevertheless, there is an opportunity for entrapment for those who set out to just give things a try. Once you get comfortable with a job, especially a family run business, it’s hard to break routine. Furthermore, while you’ve been comfortably holding a job when your friends have been schlepping from interview to interview, an attractive prospect during hard economic times, you haven’t
had to brush up on your job seeking skills.

The entire job seeking experience, while it can be unrewarding, grueling and tedious, is a fabulous learning experience for aspiring professionals. It teaches you how to package yourself, how to conduct interviews and how to put yourself out there and get noticed. Taking the family business route is fine and all, but you’ll likely lose out on this learning opportunity.

Ultimately, the point is to not let yourself become guilted into a job at your own professional expense. Take over the family business if you want to. Spend some time working there if you have no other prospects. However, you have bigger plans on the horizon. Don’t forget to keep your feelers out. It’s easy enough getting too comfortable at a job. It is even easier to get comfortable at a job run by your family.

Any negative experiences working for a family member? Let us know in the comment section.

With the summer already here and seasonal jobs filling up fast, its crunch time for a lot of college students and seasonal workers looking to nab their summer occupation. While there may be plenty of opportunities out there for seasonal workers, these jobs often fill up quick, especially by people who have the summers off. Students, teachers and other seasonal workers are all grasping at the same pool of jobs that open up when the temperatures rise. However, if you get a firm no during your seasonal job hunt, don’t get discouraged.

The nice, or negative depending on your point of view, aspect of seasonal jobs is that they are, not surprisingly, seasonal. These jobs open for only a small space of the year because they are dependent on either the weather or some other environmental factor that makes holding this job temporary. While these jobs can fill up fast, getting a no from a potential seasonal employer shouldn’t be a discouraging answer.

Seasonal jobs have a very high turnover rate. People come and go at such a pace that new openings are always cropping up. For instance, while you may have been told a certain seasonal job is already filled up in May, by June there is undoubtedly a few vacancies from people who just didn’t want to put in the effort. Either from unprofessionalism or better opportunities, seasonal workers can quickly jump ship with few consequences.

That leaves you in a prime spot to pick up the pieces. Keep in touch with a seasonal job that you applied to throughout the summer. If you’re looking to be a lifeguard, you have a much bigger window to apply and check back in versus a strawberry picker. The length of a seasonal job will often dictate what your window of opportunity is.

Furthermore, just because you heard no this summer, don’t feel that the answer will still apply next year. While it may be a bit
impractical to cross your fingers over a job a year down the road when you need cash right now, it’s better to have something on the horizon than nothing at all. Plus, although most seasonal jobs are only temporary, there are always a few positions open year round to get ready for the next season. If you manage to snag a seasonal position and like it, try and stay on the good graces of the
bosses. You have plenty of opportunity to advance relative to other workers since everyone is on a seasonal basis.

Keeping in contact with a seasonal hiring manager can not only demonstrate your drive and ambition but certainly can help you snag a temporary job for some quick cash if you are on summer vacation, on furlough or in-between jobs. Don’t let no stop you in your tracks.

Any seasonal jobs previously held that turned into full time careers? Sound off on the comment section and share your success stories.

Layoffs are a part of the job culture. Sometimes, when times are tough or big changes need to be made, employees need to be let go. Often this can appear arbitrary and harsh, sometimes it is, but most layoffs are carefully sized up. Bosses determine people to layoff who don’t bring as much to the table compared to other coworkers. So, what is that employers want workers to have when it comes time to axe the payroll?

Adaptability is the name of the game. Being flexible and multifaceted. The job culture has changed tremendously in the past several decades as more and more machines have stepped up to the plate to take over more and more job functions. Furthermore, business have been slowly squeezing their employees to take on more responsibilities without compensation in order to stay competitive.

This may sound coldhearted, and it very well seems that way, but businesses need to stay in business. They need to make money, first and foremost. Asking their employees to do more for less is how companies stay competitive and watch the bottom line.

Employees that are able to bend in the wind, instead of breaking, have the advantage over their coworkers. For instance, having a broad skill set, rather than a deep skill set, is a huge bonus. The difference between the two lies in adaptability. Employers much rather have an employee who knows five tasks pretty well compared to an employee who only knows how to do one thing extremely well. An employee with a broad skill set can take on a number of different functions. It doesn’t matter that he or she only has moderate knowledge of the field, that can improve with training and experience.

An employee stuck in his or her ways that performs only one function is often first on the chopping block.

So, how does one become adaptable and flexible? The best way to do that is to have a broad education. Take classes in a verity of fields. Never stop learning or being curious. Try and pick up a new language or take a few computer courses. It may not be within your field but being narrowly defined and pigeonholing yourself into a tight corner can spell doom for your job chances.

There’s nothing wrong with being a specialist and many people make a living by excelling at one particular thing. However, jobs with
that deep of a focus are few and far between since they tend to be held by the same specialists until they retire. Diversifying your credentials is the best way to promote job security by being a jack of all trades.

Have you avoided layoffs by being an adaptable worker? Let everyone know down in the comment section.

So much has been written about how to find your dream job, or really any job. There are countless articles upon articles dedicated to providing you, the reader, with insight on how to score a spot and a paycheck. However, what happens when you get hired or the invitation to come onboard is extended to you? It can be intimidating to think of and it is often overlooked by new hirers or those with little experience in getting a job.

Nevertheless, this all begs the question of why you should write a job acceptance letter. Most job offers are extended verbally and it some cases it is perfectly acceptable to just say ‘ok’ over the phone and call it a day. But, if you just got hired at a large company or a professional setting, you’ll want to do a little more beyond nodding your head and saying think you.

A job acceptance letter lets you put down in ink the terms of your hiring. This lets you clear up any misunderstandings about the position and it can be a concrete letter of intent you can hold onto should there be any problems with your hiring terms. It’s just an extra measure of security for you to take in order to ensure you don’t get screwed on your first day. Furthermore, it shows that you’re professional. So, without ado, here are six
tips to writing a job acceptance letter.

1. Include your start date

After you have made it clear that you wish to take up this position, write to your new employer when you are starting. This will make it very explicit when the first day you’re due behind your cubicle is. Agreed upon salary- During the hiring process it is very likely that a salary was agreed upon. Go ahead and write down that number just to make sure your new boss isn’t going to try and pull a fast one on you. It’s rare and doesn’t happen a lot but you can never be too careful when money is involved.

2. Hourly rate

In addition to your start date, don’t forget to include how many hours per week you have agreed upon working. Sometimes this category can be implicitly expressed by a new employer so it’s a smart move to make it clear
that you are full time, not part time.

3. Leave and breaks

Don’t forget to lay down the terms of vacations and breaks when you write your acceptance letter. This will make it clear at what rate vacation accrues and other tidbits that relate to personal days.

An acceptance letter doesn’t need to have many frills. It simply needs to be a black and white document that puts down very specifically on what terms you were hired for.

Simple as that, right? Any acceptance letter stories or concerns? Leave a comment.

As a college student or recent college graduate, a lot of flak is sent our way from parents, grandparents, older siblings or other family members about getting a good paying job. The old mentality about having a job seems set in stone for these authority figures and often a different viewpoint about employment doesn’t exactly make as much sense for them as it does to many young people. What viewpoint am I talking about? Actually wanting to have the job you occupy rather than just collecting a paycheck.

Who hasn’t heard that their generation is nothing but a bunch of slackers, lazy loaf arounds and good for nothings? At least once, usually from people older than you. Thanks for the encouragement guys. However, perceptions about having a job have changed in the past several decades. College kids and recent grads don’t want to have walked away from college with a degree simply to sit behind a desk for the next forty years, counting the decades until retirement.

Look at your parents or grandparents. It was common for people in their generation to hold the same position, at the same company, for decades straight. At the time, having a job, any job, was more important than being
happy with the job. You were guaranteed a paycheck so sit down, pipe down and just make it through the workweek. Does that even sound appealing to you?

Most likely the answer is going to be no. What changed?

Well, all those social advances your parent’s generation participated in have finally paid off. Job satisfaction is becoming more important than what you take home every week because all the rhetoric about making a better world and follow one’s dreams has sunk into this current generation. Our parents’ have sown the wind and now we reap the whirlwind.

What does this mean for recent college graduates out on the job hunt? It means that there is a greater emphasis on finding a job that emotionally and mentally satisfies rather than just padding out a bank account.

There is far greater diversity in the job market now because alternate styles of living are open to people now that were far more marginal twenty or thirty years ago.

This means that you need not bow to experience all the time. While the input of parents and family members about career decisions is still important, remember, you’re the one who has to be doing the job. If you want
that job as a bikini inspector, archeologist or sky diving instructor, go for it. Shooting for your dream job isn’t a silly fantasy. More and more people are taking cuts in their income just to be happy doing what they are doing.

You’re not alone if you opt for this career decision. Put your degree to use and aim for what you want to do in life.

Hunting for a job takes a lot of time. With all the occupation searching, clicking through pages of postings, responding to emails and sending messages, the amount of time invested can be pretty high. You got better things to do with your time and you need to make sure the time you to devote to a job search is time well spent. Furthermore, a bad job search site can not only waste your time by pointing you towards postings and links that don’t work or are outdated but these sites can also steal your personal information and sell it to advertisers who will flood your email with spam and advertisements.

Therefore, the real question is how do you spot these bogus job search sources? A big tell is looking at the level of quality when it comes to written articles or information. Poorly written information is usually a sign that the website it either A) unprofessional or schlocky B) not written by an English speaker. Nothing against people who don’t speak English but if you are offering a job search service to English speaking clients, it helps to actually know the language you are operating in or at least pay someone who does. Poorly written English indicates that this site make be a scam from overseas to steal your personal information.

Even if the site operator is an English speaker, having shoddy writing demonstrates that this site had very little thought go into it, pointing that it is either questionable in terms of getting you results or simply a front for advertisers.

Speaking of advertisers, look around the job search site and check if the advertisements are actually relevant. If you see advertisements for colleges or for job search related services, it is pretty likely the place is legit. However, if you see banners and pop-ups that feature links to live nude girls or debt reduction agencies, you have probably stumbled across an unreliable job search source.

Differentiating the good sources from the bad protects you from wasting your time and possibly exposing your identify to theft. Have a critical eye on job search sites that are either unknown or promise wondrous results because the truth of the matter is that these places most likely are scams.

Any job search woes? Successes? Sound off in the comment section and share your experiences.

It may seem like common sense for everyone to write their own resume. However, plenty of job seekers hand over their personal information to professional resume writers in order to have a finely tailored resume that is not only detailed but also polished and crisply formatted. Furthermore, perhaps the primary reason career hunters seek out this service, is that professional resume writers can be objective.

What’s the big deal about being objective? Who cares. Getting a job is all about marketing yourself, subjectively describing your abilities and talents so that employers salivate over what they’re hearing. While this does hold some salt in certain arguments, objectivity is key when crafting a resume.

Objectivity allows you to present yourself in very black and white terms. An employer only wants to know what you bring to the table. That means quantifiable results. None of this ‘team player’ nonsense or ‘good communicator’ malarkey. A potential boss wants to know, very objectively and passionlessly, what it is that you can do. This means presenting yourself solely in numbers and cents type terms. Instead of saying something ephemeral like you’re a ‘hard worker’, nail down that description and say that you did X for company Y that achieved Z. Simple as that, right?

Sadly, so many people who craft their own resume have a tendency to drift into this field of irrelevancy. It’s a hard habit to break. Being objective about yourself is difficult because we don’t live our lives objectively. Everything we see, everything we feel, is through our own point of view. We interpret and examine our life experiences through a subjective lens.

Nevertheless, a third party can act as an objective outsider that can discern your abilities and prowess. While professional resume writing services do exist, they are often expense and can take time that you may not have. Plus, these services often have a tendency to produce resumes that are very well formatted and polished looking but have a template feel to them that can make employers a bit suspicious about who really wrote this document.

Still, writing your resume in tandem with someone else can produce objective results. You can invest the passion and life experience you have accrued into this piece of paper while someone else can groom and cut through a lot of the fluff people put into their resumes. Try working out your resume with a friend or family member. Ideally, aim for a professional contact that can be a bit more objective than someone close. This will hopefully allow you to strike a balance that provides concrete, objective information while also making things a bit more personalized and individualized.

How did you write your resume? Tips for beginners? For experts? Sounds off and let everyone know.

A lot of the content on this site is devoted to helping you find and secure a job that you can love, or in the worst case, at least stomach on a 9 to 5 basis throughout the work week. However, it is equally important to know how to leave a job without burning your bridges behind you. Who knows, there may come a time when you’ll be hard pressed for a paycheck and your only option is to come crawling back on your hands and knees. Hopefully not though.

Still, here are four ways you can leave a job gracefully without shutting the door completely behind you.

Keep Working

One of the biggest strikes against quitting employees coming back to work is that they often slack off after they have given their two weeks’ notice. It’s a natural tendency to take it easy when the end is so close. Put your feet up on the desk. Spend some extra time out on lunch. Turn in a reduced workload. These are all urges employees with a shelf life indulge in. However, operating like business is usual until your last day is a great way to not only demonstrate your professionalism but to go out on a high note.

Keep Composure

The knowledge that you have to see your coworkers for a large chunk of the week and get along with them is plenty of incentive for people to stay friendly, or at least cordial, with people they otherwise wouldn’t want to be
trapped in an elevator with. One of the biggest bridge burners is that employees on the way out often speak their minds a little too much and tell off their coworkers and supervisors. Avoid this at all costs even if you don’t think you’ll be coming back. You don’t want to tell Donna she stinks if it means a purse to the side of your head.

Show Up

As your last day gets closer and closer, make sure you make the effort to actually come to work. While you can’t get fired for not showing up since you are already on your way out, usually, it still leaves an impression on your boss if you’re hoping to use him or her as a reference. Be Thankful- While this may be a minor point, thanking your supervisor or boss for the opportunity is a great way to send yourself off into the unknown. It won’t
make up for poor performance or slacking off but if you end your employment with a handshake and a meaningful statement about how you’re thankful for the job, it’ll go a long way in sending you off on a high note.

Have you burned any bridges in a spectacular fashion? Let us known in the comments section below.

Going on an interview is just like having a first date. There’s plenty of nervousness, potential to be awkward, ample sweating and even the chance to get lucky, with different connotations in both instances, after the whole affair. However, how do you standout during an interview? It can be a fine line to walk, trying to simultaneously standout while not looking for like a sore thumb doing so.

So many interviewers and corporate headhunters are jaded individuals. They’ve seen it all pretty much. It makes sense. They’ve conducted doze, if not hundreds, of interviews so they have had their fair share of differing personalities. Nevertheless, the opportunity does exist to impress these individuals who can be hard to move.

The best way to tackle this problem is to first examine what you shouldn’t do. In an interview, frills and excesses should be kept to a minimum. While you need to impress these folks, you shouldn’t look like you’re trying too hard to go over the top. This is a professional setting after all. Don’t pay personal complements in this case. They will not do you any good. Saying that the person interviewing you looks hot won’t do you any favors. Only in cheesy and unrealistic romantic comedies do crass pickup attempts work. Save that for your fantasies.

Also, don’t work too hard to be funny or charming. Humor is a hard thing to pull off. That’s why so many comedians bomb again and again before they find the right winning formula. If you try and be funny and it fails, it’s going to fail hard. Charming is a little easier to do but you want to maintain that professional barrier between you and the person interviewing you. There isn’t anything wrong with being a smooth talker but too much of it is going to make you seem unprofessional and maybe even inappropriate.

So, what are you supposed to do to standout during an interview? Be relaxed. Be comfortable. Know what you’re going to say. Project an image of knowing calmness. Sweating and glancing around nervously will work against you but some people just can’t help this. Combat this by having prepared statements handy. Rehearse before going on an interview. Keep in mind concrete facts and figures that you can present as things you bring to a table. Don’t just say you “worked hard” at your last job. Everyone says that. Say HOW you’ve worked hard and what you did. This will make you standout during an interview as someone who not only is prepared but knows what they’re talking about.

Any interviews you’ve nailed? Bombed even? Talk about it in the comment section and share your experiences.

Writing your own resume is usually the kick start to a round of job hunting. Really, it is the first thing you should do before even hitting the job boards or creating a profile on some online job search site. Keep it
updated and keep it relevant. However, there are benefits to writing your own resume other than just having a resume in hand.

These benefits begin during the initial process of creating a resume. It may seem to be a pretty straightforward process but making a resume can be tough work. There is a lot of picking and choosing, weeding out information to ditch and deciding on stuff that you need to put down. This self examination process really allows you to come to grips with what you can offer employers.

First and foremost, it lets you see if you are even qualified for the position you hope to apply to. Many people get down to writing their resumes and find out that their qualifications are not nearly as impressive, or perhaps they are more impressive, than they believed. Some people change their job searches based on these revelations. Others head for the hills and go to graduate school. Still others move back in with mom and dad, ‘just so they can get back on their feet’, as they say.

Nevertheless, the real benefit of writing your own resume is that you become more involved with the job search than having someone else write it for you. Resume writing professionals are perfectly respectable people
but hiring one often removes you from the nitty gritty of the job hunt.

As you may or may not know, every job you apply to should have a tailor made resume. The differences between resumes may not be significant, but every job you apply to should have a unique resume that plays to the
qualities that employer is asking for.

This serves a purpose, however. As you tweak your resume for each employer, it allows you to come to grips with the responsibilities, expectations, qualifications and duties of that position. This in turn makes you more knowledgeable about the position because you’ve just spent some time thinking about how your abilities match this job. Not only will you be able to know what you’re getting into but you will likely interview better and be more passionate about a job you actually understand. Having someone else write your resume entirely removes you from the process and keeps you distanced from your potential job.

What was it like writing your resume? Any pitfalls or perils readers should be aware of? Log in and comment below and share your experiences.

The old axiom that time is money plays into today’s job market more and more as people are increasingly turning to professional job seekers to help them find a position so they can devote their time to other activities. While this may seem like a pretty sweet setup, there are a large number of drawbacks, such as paying these professionals, to acquiring the services of job search contractors that do the work for you.

Here are three reasons why you should avoid putting your trust entirely in these people’s hands, despite their qualifications that may otherwise indicate complete faith.

Disconnect

The first main reason to refrain from having someone else do your job hunting is that there is a great degree of disconnect between you and the job search process. Some people may like being catered to and pampered. However, having everything handed to you on a silver platter isn’t the way the world works and it can be a big handicap down the road. A job search contractor often manages your resume, your social network sites and your job search profiles. This allows them to dictate a lot in terms of what jobs you ultimately are considered for. Being disconnected from your job search prevents you from becoming knowledgeable about what positions you are applying to and can often reduce your overall passion for these positions since a lack of knowledge often translates into poor interview performance.

Lack of Interactivity

Finding a job is more than just matching up skill sets. Very often there is an element of trusting your gut and relying on your feelings when it comes to applying for positions. Sometimes you see a job and just know you need to shoot for it, qualifications be damned. On the flipside, there are some positions or companies you know that you’re qualified to work at but you have no interest in doing so. Having someone doing the job hunting for you
limits the interaction between you and your hunt so that those feelings are never acted upon.

Identity Concerns

While most job search contractors are professionals with ethics and standards, the danger of having your identity stolen or personal information leaked does exist. There are always a few bad apples out there and handing over so much personal information to a complete stranger often leaves you in a precarious position when it comes to a professional client/provider relationship. Keep your identity protected and just do the work yourself.

While saving time may sound like a good idea during your job hunt, getting a job is really a matter you should tackle head on and be deeply involved in.

Ever used a job search contractor? Yay or nay? Drop a line in the comment section and share your experiences.

Going on an interview is undoubtedly a stressful event. You’re in the hot seat, going one on one with someone who can determine your career prospects. The opportunity to mess up and spoil your chances is pretty high
when your nerves start to get the better of you. While interviewers are often forgiving of jitters and nerves, there are still many ways you can blow your own interview. Here are five common mistakes people can make that sink your job chances during an interview.

Improper Research
Surprisingly, a lot of people go into interviews not fully aware of the duties and responsibilities of their potential position. Not researching properly can result in a sufficient lack of knowledge that shows when an
interviewer begins asking your impressions about the spot you’re shooting for and all you can muster up is a few ‘uhs’ and ‘ums’.

Lack of Company Knowledge
This is similar to the previous entry but you can sink your job interview by not properly understanding your potential employer. Nothing is more embarrassing during an interview than being clueless about what
your possible employer actually does. It might be a good idea to know that you’re working for a company that makes bombs or missiles before starting on your first day.

Selling Yourself Short
While interviews can be stressful; you need to make sure you are still presenting yourself in a positive light. This means marketing your abilities and selling yourself to that interviewer. Tell the person across the table from you what it is you can do in concrete terms. Don’t be passive and expect your resume to speak for you. Self promotion is an integral part of the job process that doesn’t stop at the interview room. Bring it all the way until you actually are brought onboard.

Vagueness
An interview not only is a more in depth look at the abilities of a potential employer but it is a way to clarify vague or murky information on someone’s resume. A common mistake for many resume writers is that they write in simplified, uncertain terms. An interview helps clear up misunderstandings andvagueness. Be sure to give detailed answers to questions rather than just yes or no.

Not Engaging
A common mistake for many people is assuming an interview is a one way street. It isn’t. There is ample time for candidates to ask questions of the interviewer and it is actually encouraged, if not expected, that both
parties ask questions of each other. Think of an interview as more of a dialogue rather than an interrogation. Feel free to ask plenty of questions as it will reflect well on you by demonstrating your interest in the job.

Any instances where you bombed a job interview by not adhering to these guidelines? Sound off in the comment section and let us know.

An earlier article listed five ways that people typically sabotage themselves during an interview but realizing that there are far more than merely five, here is a follow up list of five more ways you can unintentionally bomb your next job interview.

Not Listening
There are many ways candidates don’t listen during interviews. While nerves may be to blame, most commonly interviewees are more concerned with trying to anticipate the next question thereby allowing most of what the interviewer is saying to go over their head. Don’t fall into this trap. Absorb every detail of what that person is saying to you so that you can be prepared to respond. Very often referring back to a point the interviewer made is a good way to demonstrate that you are not only listening but paying attention. Drifting off is never a good way to participate in an interview.

Under or Over Dressed
Make sure you come dressed to impress during an interview. Showing up in pajamas or a t-shirt is likely a poor choice when looking for a desk job while showing up in a tuxedo will probably make you look like an idiot
if you opt for a more hands on field.

Disingenuous Behavior
It’s reinforced over and over again but you should always be yourself during an interview. Putting on an act or being fake may seem like a good way to tell an interviewer what they want to hear but it can often backfire or, in worse cases, show through and point out that you’re being phony. If you’re not comfortable with who you are going into an interview it is likely that the job position isn’t for you.

Passiveness
Sitting back in your chair during an interview, looking bored, tired or just not demonstrating enthusiasm is a quick way to damn your job chances. Interviewers want candidates that actually want to be working. laying the slacker may be cute at home but it isn’t going to impress anyone in the professional world. Be excited for the job even if you’re not sure if you’ll get it. It can only help your chances.

Being Unprepared
This may be the biggest interview killer of them all. Showing up rushed or unprepared shows. Make sure you are on time, with materials in hand such as extra resumes and cover letters and that you know what you’re walking in to. Don’t pull the college kid routine and walk in ten minutes late without materials and think everything is going to be ok. It won’t be.

Ever bomb an interview? Ever score a big success? Sound off below in the comment section and share your experiences.

At this point it’s pretty clear how important a cover letter is on your resume. It’s been drilled into you over and over again, like a mantra. Always have a cover letter. Now, with that bit of advice well ingrained into your brain, consider ways to make your cover letter pop. Think about it. If everyone is writing a cover letter, how do you get yours to jump off the page and grab the attention of potential employers?

The thing about cover letters is that it works against you to be flashy. Getting pink and scented paper isn’t going to do you any favors. Not only is it expensive but employers will actually take you less seriously if you opt for some radical cover letter design. Leave the origami and personalized stationary for more personal projects.

So, if being flashy works against you, how are you supposed to make your cover letter standout from the rest of the herd? You do it by properly formatting your cover letter and including content that makes you standout. The best way to have your cover letter get read is to make it the best possible cover letter you can. Make it formatted to a T.

Proper formatting for a cover letter is pretty broad. Suffice to say, include your contact information, the usual name, address, telephone number and email as a header. Follow this up with an introductory paragraph that explains how you found this position and what interests you about working for this employer. Essentially you talk up the company your applying to, making them look good. Stroking their ego, if you will.

Second paragraph is where you come in. Talk about why you are suited for this position and explain what you have done in the past that has prepared you for this responsibility. Heaps and heaps have been written on what exactly to include in this section so do a bit of homework on this section. Regardless, keep it short and sweet. Don’t get too cute and don’t seem cocky or arrogant doing so. You want to appear qualified but humble.

Finally, close your cover letter with a round of thanks and say how you appreciate the time of the person reading your cover letter. Basically wrap it all up, sign off and include your contact information one more time.

Make sure your cover letter is crisp, well printed and on clean white paper. Keep your font neat and well spaced and don’t get too flowery with your language. Simple and direct is the way to be. All of this seems to make a boring cover letter. Where is the pizzazz? There doesn’t need to be any. Cheap tricks and thrills will not get you a job. You get your cover letter to pop by making it a template worthy document. Impress a potential employer by showing attention to detail that most other people skip out on.

After an interview, most people are content to grab a drink, sit back and wait for the telephone to ring. All the stress of preparing for an interview and answering questions is over with and its time to take it easy, right? Wrong. You still have work to do after an interview has ended. First and foremost, keep searching for jobs and refrain from resting on your laurels. Nothing has been finalized. You’re just a contender. However, you can improve your chances by following up after your interview.

Following up with an employer after an interview serves several purposes. Primarily it keeps you in the mind of the hiring company. Getting back in touch with a possible employer refreshes their memory of you. The hiring process has lots of moving parts and plenty of applicants. Getting lost in the shuffle can happen and following up lets you rise back to the top and prevents you from becoming forgotten.

However, following up serves the purpose of voicing your interest in the job. It shows that applying for this position actually means something to you and isn’t just one of many. Think of it this way, if you meet someone that you’re really interested in, you follow up with them right? You send them a text or call them to let them know you want to get some coffee or lunch and to also express your interest in them, that it wasn’t just a random
encounter but that you want to possibly make this into something a bit more serious. Following up with a company after you’ve interviewed with is just like that.

This all begs the question of how exactly you follow up a job interview. Calling the office on your way out the front door is a bit much but you don’t want to wait a few weeks after not hearing anything to follow up. The best way to get back in touch is with a quick phone call about a week after your interview. While this may not be the best method if you’re interviewing with a large company that most likely isn’t aware of all its hiring’s, a smaller business will likely put you in touch with the right people to follow up with.

Try and get the contact information of the person who interviewed you before you head home for the day. Everyone in a professional setting usually carries around business cards so this should be a pretty straightforward request. Call this person if you feel comfortable but an email will often suffice if you are directly contacting your interviewer.

Following up just makes sense in terms of expressing your interest. If you interview for a job you really want, or need, make sure you keep yourself fresh in your possible employer’s mind by following up.

Any follow up faux pas we should be aware of you? Let everyone know by posting a comment below.

If it wasn’t for child labor laws, kids would be a hard demographic to compete with in the workplace. Obviously this is simple hyperbole but children have an uncanny knack to find creative solutions to problems that otherwise baffle adults. Furthermore, children possess a razor sharp mind for learning and inventiveness. All in all, kids can present themselves in very imaginative ways that grabs people’s attention. Beyond sending your kid off to work as a chimney sweep, take a few lessons on how the viewpoint of a child can help you ace your next interview. Here are three tips that can help you land a job by resorting to thinking outside of the box.

Imagination
Before you can get to an interview, you have to find a job. A child has an incredibly active imagination, usually far more developed than many adults. Personal experiences and maturity diminish the power of people’s imaginations because living in the real world forces adults to become grounded in facts and figures, thinking about what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t work. A kid has the luxury of indulging their creative side and can present some interesting solutions that many college graduates aren’t always capable of working out. Therefore, when seeking a job or going in for an interview, be inventive. Create a video blog with professional flourishes that allows you market yourself to employers in an entertaining and concise way.

No Bore
Children are the antithesis of boring and as you head into an interview, embrace this spirit. Hiring managers and interviewers have seen plenty of boring people walk through their doors. Every is so self conscious during an interview and trying to be as dry and professional as possible. Shake things up by opting to be energetic and enthused to be interviewing. Show your excitement. Even if you need to pound a couple cups of coffee on the way in, bring up the level of energy in the room by talking about yourself in an excited and energetic way.

No Fear
Kids have fewer life experiences that teach them to be cautious and wary of their environment. Children dive right in, with little thought of their own safety. Embrace this spirit and enter your interview like a daredevil. Fear nothing. Obviously this is hard to pull off overnight. Still, work yourself up into a job getting machine. Strip away your inhibitions and fears when you enter an interview. The hiring manager will take notice of your state of mind and this can certainly distance you from other candidates.

These lessons from a child can be hard to implement but it helps to keep in mind that there are other options to being a dry, boring adult.

Have you embraced your inner child in the workplace or on an interview? Post a comment and let everyone know.

So, you just graduated and you’re about to start your job search. You got your degree. You got some confidence. Sky is wide open to you, right? So where do you start? Most people will say to start off at the bottom and work your way up. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and all that good stuff. So what doesn’t that sound like something to get excited for? It’s because you’re being told to start at the bottom. No one wants to be at the bottom of the corporate ladder. You end up getting coffee for everyone and getting saddled with all the grunt work. But what are you supposed to do? You’re fresh out of college and there is nowhere else to start.

Well, the key phrase there is ‘fresh out of college’. You have a college degree. You can set your sights a little higher than most because you not only have the tools but the talent. Too many college graduates have a disparaging view of themselves and their prospects. It is no surprise though. How many times have you heard someone say ‘time are tough’ when talking about the job market? That you should be lucky to just have a job? Pretty often probably.

Don’t listen to that crap. Economic times are tough. There is no denying that. People are unemployed. Houses are being foreclosed on. Banks are closing. BUT it isn’t the end of the world. You don’t have to cave in your ambitions simply because a bunch of dried up, old men behind a news desk or microphone are telling you the country is going to hell.

When you just starting on your job search, keep two things in mind. Be aware that you won’t get the greatest job right out of college. That simply isn’t realistic nor is it a practical way to think. Unless you are
super lucky and make the next Facebook, expect to hold down a normal 9 to 5. However, also keep in mind that you are a desired commodity.

Yes, you are desirable. Companies love to see fresh faced college students. This may sound cynical but companies like fresh college kids because they can get away with paying them less. It’s true. A father with a
house and two kids is going to likely scoff at a job that pays $30,000 a year. But, a college graduate will probably look at the salary and begin to salivate. Remember, you have something companies want. Don’t be afraid to have a little confidence and set your sights a little higher than usual.

Any job success slam dunks out there? Sound off in the comment section and share the wealth.

Everyone has one time or another held a crappy job. There’s no way around it and sometimes it’s hard to reconcile that summer slinging ice cream at the community swimming pool with your hopes and dreams of making it big. Nevertheless, at your crappy job, was there ever that person who seemed way too happy to be there? It was the guy who seemed like making tacos was the be all and end all of existence. And that was annoying.

Now think about it, have you carried that attitude forward still? Looking at your fellow coworkers with a glib smile and shaking your head when they seem way too happy to be at work? Could it be there’s something wrong with them? Possibly. However, the most likely answer if that you may have a skewed attitude towards work.

Let’s be honest, work does suck. Most people can’t get their dream job of being an astronaut or a bikini inspector. Therefore, most people have to settle. This can be pretty soul crushing, especially if you went to college to be an architect and you end up pushing carts down at the grocery store. Where is the effort to excel and push forward?

It may seem like why even try, why put in the effort on a job you dislike? There’s valid points in that and it makes for a great movie premise staring Ron Livingston and Jennifer Anniston. However, even if you despise your job, why not go an extra inch to get yourself noticed and possibly lifted out of oblivion.

Break it down, if most people just do the bare minimum to get by, day in and day out, what’s the harm in going above and beyond the call of duty just once to get noticed? Even if you just do a small thing each day that’s pretty pedestrian, your boss will likely notice sooner or later because he or she is used to everyone half assing it on a daily basis. You never know, great things may come of this notice. You may hate your job working in the
pits, but a nice middle management promotion with a corner office may be just the ticket out of your workplace blues.

So, are you caught in a professional rut? Hate waking up and going to work? Why not try working your way out of there instead of just getting by and trying to not lose your mind? Sound off in the comment section
about any workplace blues you might be having and what you’re doing to change up the status quo.

May 10th, 2011
LANDON LONG
Comments Off on How To Get 4 Free Lessons On How To Write A Resume In Today’s Evolving Economy

My name is Landon and I’ve made a few “resume writing” videos I’d like to send you.

If you already have a solid resume that’s landing you tons of job interviews, then you won’t need these… but if you’re struggling to get a call back in this economy then make sure you enter your email below (or to the right side) and I’ll send you new videos over the next four days.

You’ll learn how to write a resume that’ll help you gain a leg up on the competition. Plus I’ll give you some quic

k and easy resume writing tips that I wish someone would have shared with me before I started my job searches in the past 🙂

Look, I’ve been helping job seekers with their resumes for over 5 years and I REALLY want to help you get started. But you gotta take a little action to get off the ground.

Facebook is a huge time sink. There’s no two ways about it.
For many people, especially college age people, Facebook is usually open in the background whenever they’re on their computer. Sure the time spent looking at
it may only be a few minutes here and there, but add up all that time throughout the time. It starts to look pretty hefty in aggregate. Now, imagine if all that
time spent checking profiles and updating your status could be turned to something not only productive but possibly lucrative in the long run. Facebook can help you find a job, believe it or not.

Be skeptical if you want but Facebook can be a great place to begin your job search. First of all, Facebook has a friendly and familiar interface. There’s something comforting about the layout of the site that just makes people want to stay. Navigating Facebook is easy too and certainly familiar to most people. Most online job boards and resume posting sites look pretty convoluted and can be a bit off putting to most people simply because of lack of familiarity with the layout of the website.

However, how can Facebook possibly help you get a job? It is a social networking site. People check it for pictures from last night and to spy on their friends. You’re a lot more likely to get a date than to find a job, right? Not exactly. First, don’t get your hopes up about that date. Second, Facebook has become so huge lately that companies have begun to make their presence felt on the site.

In case you don’t know or live under a rock, pretty much everything has a Facebook page these days. From your Aunt Jenny all the way up to Microsoft and Nike have Facebook profiles. Furthermore, unlike your Aunt Jenny, these corporate profiles often pass on helpful news tidbits. Most companies will even have dedicated corporate hiring pages that you can ‘like’ in order to receive the latest news about upcoming job fairs and when and where to submit your resume and cover letter.

This isn’t a perfect system and you aren’t guaranteed a job by trolling Facebook, but then you’re not guaranteed anything by hanging around dedicated job sites either. At least you can creep on that girl from the other
night in between reading up on the latest recruitment drive by a dream company.

Any instances where Facebook helped you find a job? Sound off in the comment section and let everyone know.

Graduating from college can be a difficult proposition when you keep hearing again and again how bad the economy. Maybe that’s why so many graduates are playing it safe and staying in school to earn their masters. Regardless, instead of hearing nothing but doom and gloom about the job market, how about some good news? Certain jobs are called recession proof because they will always be in need no matter what the economic climate looks like. Does your job or course of study make the cut? Find out below?

Health Care- As long as humans walk the face of the Earth, there is always going to be need for a health care industry. Health care jobs are not only insured against economic conditions because people can get sick or hurt no matter how good the stock market is, but are actually expected to enter a boom time. How is this possible with companies going under left and right? Baby Boomers. They are the largest age group in the United States and they are already hitting that age when they need more and more medical care. It’s a good time to be a health care worker.

Education- Again, any sector that deals with people is pretty much recession proof. People have kids that need to go to school. While there’s been a great deal of controversy lately over the pay of teachers, the fact is that teachers are always going to be in demand, especially good ones with plenty of college education. If you’re looking for a safe haven during the recession, look no further than the teaching industry.

Information Technology- This one is pretty self explanatory since pretty much every business in the world relies on computer technology. Someone needs to run these computers, Why not you? As more and more business becomes digitized, expect this field to grow larger and larger. Not a bad time to take a few computer courses from universities like the University of Phoenix while you’re still in school.

Law Enforcement- This occupation may not seem to be the most glorious but it is pretty practical since most cities and states will cut budgets left and right but they will leave law enforcement budgets untouched. Not only do you get to keep the streets of your community safe but many law enforcement agencies have robust health care plans and great pension plans when so many corporate jobs have neither.

Green- This is a new field but businesses are going crazy about going green but also looking good to the public. This is an emerging field but a smart one to get in to.

So, any more recession proof jobs you have in mind? Sound off in the comment section.

An interview can be a grueling process. You’re nervous, worried and generally no guard the whole time. But you kind of have to be. Throughout the entire interview you’re being judged and gauged about your abilities so the person interviewing you knows if you’re going to be a good fit or not. However, there is a portion of the interview that usually seems to fizzle out and it is a shame since it is a great way to end on a high note. The ending of an interview can be a great way to hammer home who you are, what you can do and why you should be hired.

For those not accustomed to an interview, the usual run down of an interview involves a back and forth between the interviewed and the interviewer. However, many people have this tendency to hold back during an interview and not talk themselves up as much as they should, or the dialogue is very one sided, with the interviewer only asking questions while the person being interviewed sits in the hot seat and just passively answers without really following up or putting themselves forward.

While it can be chalked up to nerves or uncertainty, not putting yourself out there during an interview is a huge missed opportunity. Ask questions. Get involved. Engage the interviewer and demonstrate to him or her that you have some thoughts floating around in all that grey matter between your ears. This is especially true during the closing of an interview.

So many interviews simply end with the interviewer saying something like “well, if there’s nothing else…” Such a waste of a perfect way to have a great send off. You should close an interview with a bang, not a fizzle. However, by the end of an interview, you’re just happy to get out of there.

Combat this tendency by asking questions. Save them for the end of the interview if you need to. Saying anything beyond nothing. Ending an interview with a two way dialogue not only makes you look engaged and involved but it can serve the useful purpose of clarifying elements of the job you’re interviewing for. How many interviews have you walked away from, not exactly knowing what you’ll be doing but jut shrugging your shoulders and guessing you’ll figure it out? Quite often probably. Close out an interview by not only asking questions but by also reiterating what you can bring to the table in concrete terms. It’s the last impression you get to make so better make it good.

How have you closed an interview previously? Any success or horror stories? Sound off in the comment section and let us know.

Pretty much everyone has a social networking page in some
shape. Whether it is a Facebook profile, a Twitter account or a Myspace page, online social networking is a huge part of modern online life. It’s how we stay in contact with our friends and family. It allows us to share photos and to comment on what everyone else is doing. In short, our social lives are becoming digitized because it not only extends our reach but it’s a lot easier to keep up with everyone online.

Nevertheless, while online social networking may be fun and easy, there is a chance it may be sabotaging your job chances. It’s no secret that companies are performing background checks on their potential hires.

However, they are taking it so far that these same employers are also examining a candidate’s social networking page. This means all those memories and conversation, especially those incriminating pictures of you doing a keg stand,
can be used against you to disqualify you for employment due to unprofessional conduct.

Yes, it seems terribly unfair and intrusive. It is hard to justify this behavior. It is very Big Brother like. However, companies do it and it is within their rights to do so. All of the information on a social networking page is public. It is one thing for them to spy on your emails. But the information you put on Facebook are on a public page. You’re just asking for people to look at it.

So, how do you not let your social networking page hold you back? You could just go ahead and delete your page and let the whole matter be settled. But, this is a pretty unlikely proposition for people. Everyone wants to have an online presence. Just because you want a job doesn’t mean you have to give up your social life. However, how many times have you heard stories about someone getting fired for posting a status about their boss online? It crops up from time to time and seems to justify the argument for professionals abolishing their online social network page.

The best way to not let your Facebook page hold you back is to make the settings for it private. While you can comb through and eliminate some of the more incriminating photos, just make your page private so only your friends can see your content. It’s a simple way of protecting yourself against unwanted views and from potentially sabotaging yourself by having an online social presence.

Any instances of being sabotaged by your social networking page? Sound off in the comment section and let us know.

Blogs are cheap and easy ways to express yourself online.
However, most people use blogs as a form of online angst journal. Nevertheless,
there are ample opportunities to turn that blog into a viable job promoting
tool. A blog can display the same information that you put on your resume but
in a far more detailed way. Having a blog acts as a central nuclei for you to
post information about yourself that employers can reference.

The great thing about a blog is that it is usually free and
you have unlimited space to post as much as you want. If you want to use this
blog as a professional tool, you need to keep your blog posts concise and on
topic. You don’t want potential employers to see your blog and just see post
after post of personal angst.

If you are going to use your blog as a professional tool, it
helps if you go about doing so with a premeditated mindset. Make a whole new
blog for your professional achievements that is separate from your personal
one. Invest some production quality into your blog. Get a snazzy banner and put
a few dollars into designing your blog.

Still, this all begs the question of what exactly should you
post on your professional blog. This asset suits itself to some professions
over other. Those who work in a field where blog content can be advantage will
certainly feel the advantage here. These fields are typically in the arts, such
as artists and writers, who can post their work online and show potential
employers what they can do.

Post links to articles you write so that everything feeds
into your blog. Post new artwork or links to clients who are using your work if
you are an artist so that when you recommend employers to your blog. Think of
your blog as an online resume that you can continually update and refer
employers to. So many employees get in trouble for their social networking
pages that may display info and photos that most employers would frown upon.
Make this webpage work in your favor as an asset by keeping it professional and
job orientated.

Have you made a blog that demonstrates your ability to do a
certain job? Any suggestions or recommendations that this article hasn’t
covered? Let us know in the comments section and share your experience and
knowledge.

A resume basically is a piece of paper that sums up all of your work experiences, professional knowledge, achievements, awards, recognition and educational back story. Think of it like a permanent record that you actually get to see and can alter as you see fit. Having a good resume can really score a job for you. It’s like having that one golden pickup line that works every time, all the time. Still, people’s professional history is pretty broad. There are a lot of bases to cover and that can actually be hurting your job chances rather than hurting.

If you’re just coming out of college, fresh faced and free of work history, this may not be totally relevant to you. But for college grads with multiple internships and prior jobs, especially grads who are a bit more seasoned by the time they graduate, need to pay attention. It is quite likely that your resume is too generic. What do I mean by having a resume that is too generic? It’s not boring. It’s not messy or ugly. It’s just unfocused. You need to be like a laser beam when you starting making up your resume.

Most job seekers create one master resume and then drop copies of this document all over town. It makes sense on the surface. You want to serve up a slice of you and a big resume with your whole history on it seems like a good way to show that you’re no slouch. However, companies need to find the best fit for them. That means they want employees who have a specific skill set and background in the field they’re applying to. Sure your resume may indicate that you have experience working in finance, but if you also have heavy doses of occupation X and Y then it’s showing that your career is as unfocused as your resume.

It’s unfair to say that your burgeoning career is unfocused, especially coming out of college and trying to gain some traction, but that’s what a lot of employers will come to the conclusion of. For many, if your resume isn’t a straight line from birth to this position then you immediately blend in with the faceless mass of other job seekers.

So, how do you rectify this problem? Cherry pick information to put on your resume. Don’t just rely on one master resume. For each job you apply to you should craft a resume that is unique to that position. Just tweak what info you highlight and what stuff you ditch. Doing so can go a long way to helping you nab the attention of employers. A unique cover letter is a perfect way to augment a resume in this situation. A cover letter is really just a more detailed resume made up of sentences rather than bullet points. Hone your resume to get the attention of the bosses.

Need more help with honing your resume and overcome being generic? Leave a comment below.

Job fairs. They’re something that a lot of college graduates are familiar with. Companies and organizations flock to campuses in order to mine the next generation of raw talent. Its like talent scouts have set up shop for a couple hours and are looking for the best and the brightest. They’re putting together a team, an A-Team if you will. However, with the hectic schedules most college students have, the chances of a grad actually having attended a job fair is slim. Even less of a possibility is being prepared for a job fair. Here is a quick game plan of how to not only be ready for a job fair but to make recruiters chase you around like you have free drink tickets pinned to your shirt.

Dress sharp- One of the biggest flaws with job fairs is that they either happen with insufficient notice given by the college or occur during the busiest parts off the day. Who has time to drop by when you’re booked in class all day? This leads to most job seekers coming to these fairs in a simple t-shirt and jeans. While comfortable this style doesn’t exactly scream ‘hire me’. If you are actually going to attend a job fair make sure you give the impression that you didn’t just stumble across it on your way back to your room. Look professional to catch the eye of recruiters.

Research- Job fairs are noisy, busy and crowded affairs that can be overwhelming to the unprepared. Plus, most fair attendees don’t have time to hang out all day and find out who has a booth set up. You got better things to do than have your ear talked off by representatives from paper companies, like pass your finals and graduate. Do a little planning beforehand and find out what companies are going to be working this fair. For all you know, there might not even be anyone of interest there. Save yourself the time and hassle and research if any potential employer you want to shack up will be there.

Bring resume and cover letter- As simple as it sounds; job fairs often catch people unprepared. Walking through and talking with recruiters is fine but if you don’t have a cover letter and resume handy you might as well just have not attended. These documents act as calling cards. Recruiters are shaking hands with dozens, maybe hundreds, of students that day and will likely only remember those who had a CV to hand over. Make sure you also bring plenty of copies of both. As luck will have it, you’ll run out just when you get to talk to the most promising job recruiter.

This guide is just trying to save you some time. A lot of hopefuls come to job fairs unprepared and are just wasting their time. They would be better off preparing for next month’s fair or searching online than showing up dumfounded. Don’t let the same happen to you.

Any job fair horror stories? Successes? Sound off in the comment section.

Ugh, statistics. That was the one class everyone had to take sooner or later. Most of the time later. Way later. Like, right before graduation later. Nevertheless, since you’ll be hitting the job market soon, or have already landed, should you pay any attention to those employment stats that are always being thrown around by job counselors and economists? They seem to be pretty conflicting, right? Still, while they may tell you things you don’t want to hear, employment statistics can serve a purpose when you’re trying to land a job.

Take it them with a grain of salt, however. Employment stats are gathered by a bunch of different sources. A lot of times the picture that they paint conflict with each other. Who knows what kind of research they’re conducting. It’s like when you get forced to do a research project and you’re hitting the deadline. Maybe you shouldn’t have spent all that time having a marathon PS3 session but that isn’t the point. The point is sometimes the research gathered can be incomplete or not thorough enough. Often these stats are gathered during a certain time period. The researchers are just trying to do a good enough job possible with the time they have. They might not have all the answers.

But, you may say, all the employment stats say I should go into something computer related or healthcare but I already got my degree in pottery. What should I do? Again, don’t stress. Employment stats are just trends. Not to get artsy but the people who compile employment figures are making a mosaic. Each individual piece is different and unique. These researchers are simply taking all those piece and looking at the whole picture. While the mosaic may look like a giant Mac Book, it still doesn’t mean your degree if useless.

The best advice I have to offer is not to get worked up about employment stats. You can pay attention to them and follow them casually but don’t work yourself up and follow them religiously. Just because you know what field is trending on high won’t get you a fore sure job. A lot of people view employment stats like some type of cheat sheet that will have all the answers. Sadly, the only thing these people are doing is cheating themselves out of confidence (see what I did there?).

I’m not saying you should discredit employment figures completely but be mindful that these researchers don’t have a crystal ball to see into the future. They can say things are getting worse only to be proven wrong in the following week. They’re not omnipotent. The only thing you’re doing if you stress about facts and figures is depriving yourself of confidence and job hunting time.

Are you in this worry boat? Feel like the number crunchers have you pinned? Sound off on the comment section and let me know your feelings.

A lot of first time job seekers have this preoccupation with putting down their free time activities on their resumes. It’s a common mistake. After all, a resume if supposed to be a one or two page piece of paper that sums up what you have to offer. Why wouldn’t your interests and activities be included?

For starters, putting down your leisure activities and interests is a waste of time for employers. To be honest, they couldn’t really care if you like to go kayaking or play baseball. It doesn’t translate to a professional setting. It’s like being in class who bring all sorts of out of context tidbits and activities that have no bearing on the class. We just want to know your name and major, not that you like to crochet or listen to country music. That isn’t going to make the grade.

Furthermore, depending on what activities you put on a resume, you can be sending a bad message to a possible employer. For instance, if you like to skydive, bungee jump or white water raft, a potential boss is going to look at you as a liability. You’re risk of dying is way up there compared to people with more subdued activities like knitting or staying alive. You’ve heard that companies were cracking down on employee health care for workers who smoked or were obese? Saying you like dangerous hobbies is one more reason to not cover you underneath some workplace insurance program.

Having your activities, beyond making it seem that you get off on almost killing yourself, can also make it seem that you value your free time in excess. It’s a given that leisure time is fun time and that working can be a drag. However, employers don’t want to hear it. They want to know what you can bring professionally, not personally. You may be adventurous and energetic but an employer wants to know that you’ll bring that to the workplace instead of being a weekend warrior. Listing you personal interest and activities can send the signal that you might be taking a lot of days off to pursue your hobbies.

So, what do you put under the personal interests section of your resume? Nothing. Get rid of it. It’s filler, nothing more. Ditch it right away during the revision process of fining tuning your CV. It is tempting to include this section because it gives your resume some bulk that compensates for lacking work experience. This is especially a concern for college graduates who likely have only one or two prior jobs that can be billed as substantive.

Go more into depth about your work experience and college career. Provide more instances of academic experience and what functions you performed at your old jobs. This will allow employers to get a better sense of your professional side rather than your personal side. Save all of your gushing about the rush of base jumping until after you’re hired.

Sound good to you? Leave a comment below if you need some more help on what to include on your resume.

Have you ever heard the phrase that the clothes make the man? Beyond being overtly sexist, this axiom does have some sway to it. Looking professional is something important when you’re trying to get yourself out there. No, I’m not implying that employers are superficial. I’m sure some can be but for the most part they’re interested in what you can bring to the table. But, you also need to understand that the workplace is a different environment compared to the dorm or classroom. Some of the modes of behavior and dress styles just aren’t going to cut it. So, suck in the gut, tuck in your shirt and follow along on this rundown of how to look professional on a college graduates budget.

Depending on what job you’re banking on, the professional attire may differ. Expect anything in finance or banking to have higher requirements on the wardrobe. Positions at art studios or anything creative are probably a little more relaxed. Computer and IT spots are somewhere in between. Medical fields come with uniforms.

Now, I don’t plan on playing What Not to Wear. That just isn’t my specialty. What I will do is tell you how to dress professionally while keeping your shirt, so to speak. All of this begs the question of why this is even important.

Looking professional is not just about looking good. It’s about communicating maturity. A big strike against college grads when entering the job market, especially today, is lack of prior experience and a perceived lack of maturity. I mention the current job market because more senior workers are taking up the jobs usually reserved for incoming grads because their usual occupations have gone the way of the dodo. Looking professional demonstrates that ‘hey, I’m not a scrub, give me your money’.

First misconception about looking professional is that an expensive label is what it’s all about. You don’t need an Armani or Gucci suit to score a job interview. In fact, depending on the job you might look a bit pretentious showing up for an internship in a several thousand dollar suit. The idea is to look functional and useful, not fashionable.

Shopping online is a great way to save money if you already know your size. Don’t know it? Get measured by a tailor. Pro clothes have exact sizes so jut saying you’re a medium doesn’t work well.

Try outlet stores too. You can usually snag a great suit or blouse that’s drastically reduced. The same applies to overstock stores that carry items that the main retailers have too much of. The stores may be messy but you can score big if you look hard enough.

Finally, don’t be afraid to borrow or try a resale shop. If it looks good, doesn’t smell and fits you, what’s the problem? The person interviewing you isn’t going to know it’s not new. All that matters is it shows that you’re prepared to get this job and you’re serious enough to not wear sneakers, jeans and a t-shirt to do it.

Workplace relationships. It’s inevitable that this topic should crop up. Dating coworkers is a pretty common thing and many long term relationships begin by meeting at work. It makes sense. You’re around your coworkers for a good deal of time and it’s easy to get to know a coworker gradually overtime rather than having to approach someone at a bar or other social setting. It’s why so many people ask out people from classes they share than regular strangers. These settings provide the perfect opportunity to get to know someone safely without having to put too much out on the line. Who wants to get rejected during a night out with the guys when you can just take some time and learn the story about the cute brunette working down the cubicle from you. As G.I. Joe says, knowing is half the battle.

Still, workplace relationships can be a sticky proposition. Employers often frown on them because they could encourage unprofessional behavior among their underlings. Think about how many stories you have heard about Dick and Jane from accounting using the copy room for their own express purposes? Not only is it gross when you need to run off some copies but it can stir up the pot of office politics. Employers, and most employees, like the workplace to be running at a slow sizzle rather than a quick boil.

Nevertheless, the chances of getting entangled in a workplace romance are there. If you’re entering the workplace soon or just snagged your first job make sure you treat this a little differently than when you took that extra biology class just to get to know that one redhead who lived down the hall from you.

You’re in a professional setting. That means a lot of the natural impulses guys and gals feel need to be restrained. No feet on your desk. No naps. Don’t drink before noon. Don’t sleep with your coworkers if you can help it. Granted, employers hands are largely tied when it comes to employee relationships. Most companies have disclosure policies that require you to openly acknowledge that you’re in a relationship with so and so. This protects both you two and the company. Makes things run smoothly, just like a relationship, when honesty is involved.

However, employers can often frown on their workers shacking up with each other. This can be exaggerated if you’re dating someone higher or lower up than you are. Relationships in the office can get awfully complicated when pay grades and ranks get involved. Do you really have a thing for your secretary or your boss? Better make sure you’re on your ‘A’ game unless you want the rest of the staff turning hostile towards you because of perceived unfair treatment.

Having an office romance is up to you. As long as you cooperate with your employer’s disclosure policies you should have little to fear in terms of being fired. The feelings of your fellow coworkers are another story.

Any horror stories about office romances? Sound off in the comment section below.

Even the most arrogant of people are raised with an inherent desire to not constantly blow their own horn. That’s a saying that’s been ingrained in people for centuries. Stay where you are. Don’t take risks. Get comfortable. There’s nothing wrong with this but it can leave yourself stuck in a spot you don’t want to be. It’s like settling for the first girl who comes along without leaving yourself out on the market. Sure you may get the milk for free but at least try a few cows before deciding on which one you want to stick with. Who knows what possibilities you may encounter?

Self promotion, however, is an important part of finding and securing a job for yourself. Employers aren’t going to come knocking on your door to pull you to an interview. The same applied to just passively dumping a bunch of resumes onto the job market. Just because your resume is floating around out there doesn’t guarantee you that employers are going to pay attention to it. As far as they are concerned, you’re no different from any other Tom, Dick or Harry (Sally, Jane or Suzie for the ladies).

Building yourself up is a great way to demonstrate that you’re a go getter. How do you go about doing this? Well, that really depends on your field. Creative and artistic jobs rely on portfolios of work to demonstrate technical ability. The best way to turn this requirement to your ends is to create an online portfolio complete with work samples. Go digital even more so by having an online presence courtesy of your own blog, Twitter, Facebook, all the social networking tools available to you so you can get your name out there. Make sure it is all linked together so that people can be directed from one site to the next. However, it is supremely important to keep these sites professional. Nothing can be worst than being on the cusp of a promising job and having it blown by posting something an employer would frown on. It happens a lot more than you would imagine.

Nevertheless, what about the rest of the job market that thrive on the strength of their resume. How do they get the word out when they don’t need to shop around a portfolio? That’s easy. Get a website for yourself where you can post a very detailed and informative resume. Make the rounds to job sites and other social networking sites that have a career getting focus. The more you can throw out there that has your name on it the better.

Still, make sure you do all of this with tact. Nothing can be a greater turn off than establishing a large presence online and promoting yourself only to come off as a jerk. It’s self defeating. You want to reel in the big fish, not scare them away because you’re showboating.

So how have you promoted yourself in the past? Got any better ideas? Let me know in the comment section.

College students are getting tattooed and pierced faster than rabbits populate. It’s true. Studying campuses over the past several years and you’ll see how more and more people are either getting some kind of ink or getting some part of the body pierced. It can be a lot of fun. It is a great way to express yourself and it can really help you stand out from a crowd. While some pieces of body art are better than others, sorry tramp stamp but your time has passed, you need to be conscious of how these bodily adornments look in the work place.

Entering the work force straight from college can bring with it a number of daunting changes. One of the biggest changes is having to look and act professional. It isn’t necessarily hard but while in college you could show off that full sleeve of tattoos with pride. Now, operating in a professional setting, you most likely have to camouflage that big piece of gnarly body art.

Wait a minute. Employers can tell you what you have to look like? Sadly, yes they can. It is well within their rights to enforce a dress code as they see fit. The only restriction on this code is that it doesn’t discriminate against age, race, religion sex and gender. Unless your full body tiger tattoo is part of your religion then you are going to have to cover up somehow.

It is a necessary evil to adjust your appearance to your employers’ specifications. But, if you want your job or you’re interested in keeping one, you’re going to have to comply. Don’t worry most of these request aren’t draconian. It’s just a matter of covering up and playing by their rules for the time you are at work. Nothing is stopping you from rolling up your sleeves and letting your hair down after hours.

This all begs the question of why companies have dress codes in the first place. The main reason is that employers don’t want individual lifestyles to intrude on company time. People are there to work, not to express themselves. It sounds harsh but it’s true. Work is work, not play time.

Nevertheless, a secondary reason is that employers want their workers personal lifestyles to remain apart from the customers they interact with. Not all positions require interacting with customers but a good majority does. Managers don’t want the biases of customers to be a judgment against their company and employees. The best way to get around this is to just have workers dress conservatively and be unassuming.

So, the next time you are thinking about getting some body art, consider getting it in a spot you can easily conceal. It’ll make it easier for you to deal with on a daily basis and allow you to fit into professional settings a lot better than someone decked head to toe in piercings and ink.

Any personal horror stories about trying to integrate your body art into a professional setting? Discuss in the comment section.

Everyone’s heard that cheesy old line that opposites attract. Unless you’re a magnet, this isn’t really true. Who wants to be best friends with someone who dislikes everything you like and has a hankering for every single thing you hate? Where’s the fun in all that? Everyone surrounds themselves with people who have at least something in common with each other. As we go through life we develop groupies, to phrase it simply enough. They’re people who we are connected to that share a common interest or perform some sort of role. However, could developing a network of similar professional contacts be hurting your job prospects?

It’s a natural tendency to gravitate towards people with a common bond. Nevertheless, sometimes it can be overdone. Ever pick up a friend for a night out and the two of you are wearing the same outfit? Awkward but no big deal. I’m not saying that you need to dump your friends and befriend strangers just to keep you on your toes. I’m saying that having all the same professional contacts can hold back your chances of getting ahead.

For instance, consider this quandary. You and your four friends are all business majors and are hitting the job market. You five all live in the same area and can’t really relocate without a job since the timer is ticking on those loan payments. However, there are only three jobs available that cater to your group’s specialty. Uh oh. Three jobs for five people. How helpful do you think your blossoming professional network is going to be with those odds?

True, one of your friends can get in and put some words in for you, maybe even get you a job doing the same thing. But, think about promotion and climbing the corporate ladder. Is that friend going to helpful when you’re both gunning for that hot new spot in middle management? Self interest would say no.

Having professional contacts in the same field as you can be helpful. You can be up to date on job offerings within your field and you can possibly get ahead. That isn’t really the problem. The real problem is if your whole professional network are just clones of you. Everyone’s gunning for the same thing. How is that helping anyone.

Diversify your network. If you’re a business person, aim to develop contacts that work in other fields. Your artist friend may not be able to help you now, but maybe down the road a finance position at his or her graphic design studio opened up. You already got a contact that is happy to pass that job position on to you. Spread out your feelers and get in touch with people who can offer you so much more than just a carbon copy of your dreams and aspirations.

Having a resume and cover letter full of positive messages about yourself seems like a no brainer. Who is going to put that they habitually steal lunches from the break room on their cover letter? Still, sometimes when writing your resume, especially if you’re just setting foot in the job market, the temptation to go overboard and talk about how awesome you is overwhelming. No one is going to hire you because you stapled a copy of a paper from third grade with a big smiley face on it. Employers want to hire people who have quantifiable skills.

What makes a skill quantifiable? Easily enough, it is something that a job recruiter or human resources person can look at and immediately see the benefit it brings. For example, when you’re putting together your resume, saying that you are a hard worker isn’t going to seal the deal. So you’re a hard worker. Compared to what? A rock? A baby? Avoid being subjective. Just because you say you work hard doesn’t mean it’s true. Hiring managers aren’t inherently negative or pessimistic people. They do take people’s word. However, if you just tell them something without any actual objective evidence it’s hard for them to make a call.

The same goes for saying that you are well organized. How organized are you? Compared to some of your friends who live in an apartment with dishes pouring out of the sink and more bottle caps on the floor than actual carpet, you’re apartment with piles of laundry is suddenly quite well kept. Still, saying you’re organized and having physical proof that you are organized is as different from night and day.

What proof is needed? Did you get any recommendations or awards from a prior job? Even something small like employee of the month has more weight when you claim to be a hard worker than having nothing at all. It’s something you can point to as proof of your success, like notches on a belt or bed post. Even if you weren’t given an award, do you have at least figures you can provide that show that your organization skills contributed to something. For example, did you organize some big event for a club or fraternity that turned out to be a big hit? That’s a great tangible element for you to display. It may not sound like much but it makes for a stronger case.

Just remember when you’re writing your resume to be specific. Being a college graduate gives you a lot of leeway when it comes to putting info on your CV. Anything that is physical proof or has some sort of outside point of view to back up your claims is solid gold. Recruiters and hiring managers see the words hard worker and organized all the time. Just saying them isn’t going to do it. Prove it.

Any questions about what goes or doesn’t go on a resume? Sound off on the comment section.

Since the dawn of time bullies have existed. Sometimes these people are just annoyances or nuances. Other times they have red hair and freckles and dunk people’s heads in toilets. Nevertheless, regardless of what the bully looks like, he or she exhibits the same type of behavior in regards to hampering the confidence and abilities of those around them. However, you may say to yourself that bullies are a thing of the past. You stood up to the schoolyard bully back in fourth grade and called it a day. You don’t need to deal with these immature people, you’re a college graduate heading for the workplace.

Well, you would be mistaken in assuming that your troubles are over. Bullies exist in the workplace and can make your life a living hell unless you are prepared to deal with them head on. Sometimes the bullying can be subtle. Someone keeps stealing your food or taking stuff off your desk without asking. Its small stuff but it’ll add up eventually and drive you nuts, making you feel like you’re under siege.

Bullying in the workplace can escalate however. Sometimes it can get to the point where it endangers your work performance. Maybe someone keeps laying the blame for office problems at your feet. This can seriously endanger your occupational safety if the boss thinks you’re the one screwing up. Bullying can also take the shape of physical violence, like a meathead jock picking on the A/V club.

Joking aside, physical bullying should be immediately reported to a supervisor. Workplaces do not tolerate physical assaults. Nevertheless, it can still be difficult to deal with more subtle types of bullying. It would be counterproductive to run to your boss right away if someone keeps stealing your lunch. It might make you look bad. Unless the situation is dangerous or hostile, try and resolve it on your own. It’ll make you look better in your boss’s eyes and earn you some respect in the bully’s.

Confront the person. Bullies are cowards, plain and simple. Talk to a representative from human resources to document the problem so that there is a paper trail. This will allow you to reference back to the situation should the offender keep up their antics. Draw attention to the situation as well. Consult other coworkers about the problem and find out if Bill Smith has a real mean streak to him that others have noticed. Group action can but an end to his reign of terror.

Standing up to a bully can be hard. Doing this in a workplace can be even more difficult. Remember to be professional and to use the processes of the office against him or her.

Have you been a victim of workplace bullying? Let everyone know how you dealt with the problem in the comment section below.

Everyone has been beating to death the idea that college graduates are going to have it so tough once they graduate. There’s talk of the job market being too competitive, that there aren’t enough jobs and that older people are returning to the workplace and taking all the good jobs because of their work experience. While that is all true to an extent, many college graduates often aim too low when applying for their first job fresh out of school.

Consider this analogy. You’ve been working hard and getting in shape all summer. You have never looked better and you are at the peak of your physical appearance. Perhaps you did this because you were unhappy with how you looked or you felt insecure. Regardless, it doesn’t matter why you did it, it matters that you did. You hit the bars looking for a date but you still aim low because you’re unsure of where you are now and how you are viewed. You go for “whatever you can get” when you could be netting a high quality guy or girl.

Now, this may be an overwhelmingly shallow situation but it applies. College graduates simply are not aware of their worth, at least most of them aren’t. Having a bachelor’s degree, while not as impressive as previously, is still quite an accomplishment. Considering how few people worldwide have degrees, you’re in a pretty elite category.

What you need to do as a college graduate, freshly minted degree in hand, is to aim straight and true for a job that you deserve. In this economic climate, most people clamor for the first job they can find. If you have financial responsibilities i.e. mountains of student loans, this approach might be necessary. But don’t give up and finding a job that you deserve.

Employers are banking on college graduates to be desperate. They’re raking in the benefits of unpaid internships and low balling salaries because they can get away with it. People are in need of money, in any way, shape or form. Remember, you can take a crap job in the short term but always keep your eyes open.

Furthermore, by not setting your sights on a job that you’re qualified you may be hampering your employment opportunities. Sometimes a college graduate may be too qualified for a job. This in turn leads to rejection because that employer simply can’t pay you what you’re worth.

You went to college to bolster your chances of getting a job. Always keep this in the back of your mind that having a college degree instantly improves your marketability. Play that up. Remember to never sell yourself short and if you find your dream job posting, go for it. Don’t think you’re worthless just because you’re a college graduate.

Do you feel that your worthy of your dream job? Let me know in the comment section below.

The rise of social networking job hunting sites may seem like a great deal. It’s like combing wasting time on the computer with job hunting, also sometimes a waste of time on the computer. However, you get to kill two birds with one stone. Nevertheless, there are times where you can be too over eager on social networking sites that have a hiring component, such as LinkedIn. Here are four ways that you can be sabotaging your own chances of getting a job by making yourself too available. Follow the ancient axiom instead of beating a dead horse in this case; he’s just not that into you.

Recruiter Attack- It’s like when you’re out at a bar and it’s a single girl’s birthday. Every guy mobs her because she’s an easy target. The same applies to how people treat job recruiters on social networking sites. However, in this case, the birthday girl isn’t buying what you’re selling. Just because someone lists their occupation as a job recruiter doesn’t mean they can get you a job. Don’t smother the person. Be cool about it. You’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you’re knocking down this person’s inbox with message after message about can they hook you up with a job. This is very pertinent to the next one…

Stranger Danger- Another problem with confront a job recruiter on a social networking site is lack of familiarity. If you’re a friend of a job recruiter, it’s perfectly acceptable to approach that person and ask about a potential job. However, that same routine doesn’t apply when the person is a complete stranger. Don’t ‘friend’ a job recruiter just so you can bug him or her about a possible job. That’s likely a quick way to get a big, fat no.

Name Dropping- Furthermore, if you’re trying to connect with job recruiters online, don’t send them an email or message just so you can name drop them. If you put on your application that you have been in contact with Jeff Smith over the past few weeks, the company is likely to check up on that and ask Jeff Smith. If he has never heard of you or only exchanged one or two messages, the chances are that will hurt your chances of a job.

Lying- Finally, this is probably the most egregious sin you can commit when networking with a job recruiter online. Don’t start making up stories to impress him or her. Certainly do not proceed with a job inquiry at the company they represent by saying you have their blessing. That may work back home with the local girls but that doesn’t pass muster in the big leagues.

Just remembering, don’t make yourself to available. These people may have the jobs but they only select the most qualified or those who present themselves the best. Focus on that instead of banging down their doors online.

Make sense? Let me know if you’ve had any success going after job recruiters online in the comment section below.

Do you sit at your computer screen for hours looking for a job but making little progress? Are you as easily distracted as a newly single guy at a raging bar scene? You may think that it’s just because hunting for a job is boring. This may be true but there might be another reason behind your lack of motivation. You’re scared. Don’t be offended, it’s ok. This is a safe place. It’s perfectly normal for a recent college graduate to fear setting foot onto the job market. Here are seven ways that fear may be sabotaging your job search.

Living up to expectation- College graduates are often expected to go off and do great things. This is doubled if you are a first generation graduate. Your family has worked hard supporting you and getting you to this point. They’re justified in having high hopes for you. Don’t let it get the better of you. Your fear of not living up to expectations can lead you to never trying to.

Lack of confidence- Sometimes hitting to job search trail can make you feel like a freshman at his or her first college party. All timid and nervous about a whole brave new world. Overcome this lack of confidence by indulging in online job searches. It reduces the amount of face to face contact until the interview.

Lack of work enthusiasm- This may be one of the worst fears to experience after graduating. It’s the fear that you got a degree in something you have no interest in. You never wanted to be a business person. You’re an artist, darn it! Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that your degree is worthless or that the field you’re entering is so narrow that it doesn’t allow you some wiggle room.

Lots of work- More often than not, finding a job is a lot of work. Sometimes just thinking about all you need to do can be overwhelming. Don’t let your inertia get the better of you just because the couch is warm and welcoming.

Fear of rejection- This is a very tangible fear that everyone dreads. No one wants a drink poured on their head after a bad pickup. The same applies to the job market. Sometime it’s easier to just not try rather than face rejection.

Lack of knowledge- Part of the reason college graduates are afraid of getting started on the job hunt is that they don’t have the tools necessary to get going. Sometimes people don’t know how to properly format a cover letter or resume. Luckily, you happen to be on a website that can shed some light on those questions.

Blowing it- This is part of rejection but can be more soul crushing because you’re almost to the finish line but your nerves get the better of you. Give yourself some credit. You’ve made it this far.

So what do you think? Does this list pretty much cover everything? Sound off on the comment section and let me know.

College graduates often don’t have that much leverage when entering the job market. It’s like being a pledge. You better do what the higher ups say or else you’re cleaning the toilets. In fact, you probably already are cleaning the toilets. Do a better job or you’re out! Often, when first setting foot on the market, employers, noticing your lack of job experience, will ask if you can provide work samples that they can evaluate in order to make their determination. Wait, back up. You mean they’re asking if I can work for free, on my own time, with no guarantee of payment or even a job? Sadly, yes. It’s a tough field out there and recent college grads often get put upon the most. Nevertheless, here are a few ways to turn this request towards your advantage.

Hit it out of the park- The best way to turn this to your advantage is to pull out a homerun. Dominate that assignment. Nothing shows you can do some stellar work like, uh, doing stellar work. If you’re asked to provide a work sample or are given an assignment to do before being interviewed, slam-dunk it. Go for the gold and it may pay off with a job.

Keep it for later- If you’re interviewing within a particular work sector, having a work sample already done may be a big benefit in of itself. For example, before I get a writing gig, most of the time I’m asked for a writing sample. Instead of having to sit by and rush one out, I already have a stock of samples on hand that work pretty well. Sure, the first time you craft a work sample may be pretty tedious and it may not lead to anything. However, keep it on hand. Pass it along to other jobs. It’ll cut down on time and in between submissions you can refine it.

Volunteer to provide one- Be the go getting in this case. Turn the tables. When you’re applying for a job, off the bat, ask if they’d like a work sample. Not only does it show you as a certified workaholic, whether this is true or not, but demonstrates that you know employers are going to skeptical of you. It’s like helping an old lady across a street to impress a girl. Works every time.

There you go, three simple ways to benefit from providing free work. Do you have better ideas? Log in and comment below and tell me what you think. Or tell me that you hate me. Either way let me know your thoughts and feelings.

This was bound to happen eventually. You go on a job interview only to be confronted with a familiar face. Great, you might think, this should be easy. Not so fast chief. While being interviewed by someone you know may seem like the easiest way for some good old nepotism, it can often derail your chances of getting a job. How? Well, the person who is interviewing you is on the clock. While you may be coming off the street in your nice suit and tie thinking you’re going to chum it up, the interviewer has a job to do. Being too friendly can lead to a bad impression, regardless of who is sitting across the interview table from you. Here are some tips on how to stay professional during a situation like this.

Be respectful- It doesn’t matter if the person interviewing you used to hold your ankles in college during a keg stand. Those days are over with. Show respect for the authority this person has. Don’t come off too cocksure and make sure you pay enough reverence to the title. Jaybones may have had your back junior year, but his name is Jason and you need to acknowledge that.

Don’t dwell on the past too much- You’re interviewing for a job, not walking down memory lane. Sure, you can start the interview with some laughs, but make sure you get down to business. This is especially important if you and the interviewer have had some awkward moments in the past. Stay in the here and now so that this interview doesn’t devolve into an argument about who stole who’s girlfriend.

Show what you can bring to the table- It’s an interview, you’re expected to talk about what you can bring to the job place. Being friendly is fine, but don’t let it distract you from standing by your resume. Sell yourself as a good hire. You may be a great friend but the person interviewing you has to stand by their decision to hire you. They have a boss too and I’d bet they would like to look good. They may be under some scrutiny if word gets out that the two of you have a past connection. Do your friend a favor and actually take the interview seriously. It’ll benefit both you, by getting a job, and the interviewer, by keeping theirs.

Easy as that. Do you have any tips of your own? Has this happened to you before? Chime in on the comments section and share your stories.

Where you ever called too nice? Seriously. It happens. Sometimes people can be too nice for their own good. Typically this is said in a romantic situation. Overly nice people hem and haw about whether to go for the gusto and just ask a person out. Nevertheless, being too nice can negatively impact your chances of not only getting a job but also holding it and getting compensating enough to make it worthwhile. Here are several ways being too nice can hold you back from getting the job you need and a little advice on how to correct that problem.

Lack of assertiveness- One of the most common perceptions of being too nice is not being assertive enough. It’s sad but true. People who exhibit nice traits, such as compassion, sympathy and desire to not create conflict, often do not put themselves out there enough. Forget what Hollywood says about the nerdy nice guy getting the girl at the end by her just falling in love with him. Lack of assertiveness is going to hamper your job chances simply because you’re not putting yourself out there and making it known what you want. To get around this, take baby steps. You don’t have to pound the table with your fist to get your point across. Being a jerk isn’t going to help you anymore than being too nice. Instead, just vocalize your needs. Use a lot of ‘I’ messages, such as ‘I want…’ or ‘I feel…’. It is a non confrontational way of standing up for yourself.

Being a pushover- Another part of being too nice is being seen as a pushover. Don’t expect to get a swirly, however. The professional equivalent of a swirly is having a load of paperwork dumped on your desk or being asked to take on extra responsibilities for no extra compensation. Again, there is a fine line here. Perhaps the extra responsibilities are a primer for a promotion or raise. However, usually extra work is dumped on someone because the person doing the dumping knows they can get away with it. Say no. To sound reasonable, use ‘I’ messages to convey why you can’t. Don’t scream you’re mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. Just say ‘I am too busy or too swamped’. Simple as that.

Lack of drive- Being too nice can also hold you back from even trying. Give yourself a little bit extra credit. Just graduating from college can be pretty scary. But throw yourself out there a bit. Don’t make excuses from going after your dream job. The job market is a cut throat place sometimes. Don’t be afraid to get a little dirty because you learned about a job opening. Keep it a secret for yourself.

Admit it, you’ve been called too nice. Let me know in the comment section what you’re doing about it. Conversely, are you the mean guy that still gives wedgies? Tell me all about it. Log in now.

Well that guy was dull. Hopefully this is something that an interviewer never thinks of you after you two have met. However, it’s pretty likely that job candidates, especially recent graduates, are so overwhelmed with nerves that they forget who they are. Thankfully you remembered to wear pants. So what’s so important about personality in a job interview? I’m there to get a job not to get a date. Oh, how wrong you are.

Think about it this way, a job interview is like a very formalized romance from a century ago. Maybe more of an arranged marriage. No need to dust off those history lessons you had to take to graduate, this isn’t a lecture about Victorian first dates. But, in all seriousness, you interview to secure a position. Not only do you need to demonstrate that you have the professional skills but you also have to have the people skills.

Very few positions exist that are in a vacuum. You’re going to have other coworkers around you at some point. An interviewer wants to know that you’re, first, going to be able to interact with them and, second, you’re not going to bore them to death. Furthermore, most employers place an emphasis on collaboration between their employees. They want team players and that requires having personality.

So, instead of walking into an interview with a stick up your rear and talking like a robot, learn to loosen up. No, don’t hit the bottle before going to an interview to get yourself looser with your words. Employers tend to frown on people who smell like whiskey, unless you’re going to work at a bar. Still, just relax beforehand. Have a good meal. Get a massage even. Do what you need to in order to settle your nerves.

Once you’re in a better place, don’t be afraid to let your personality shine. Make some jokes, appropriate ones of course. Just show that you’re alive and that you bring something unique to the table. Plus, showing your personality can help make a lasting impression. Instead of being remembered as the guy with the red tie, you’ll be that charming guy or the funny one. That’s a lot better than being identified by your clothing.

Remember, walk a fine line when being personable. Don’t milk it too much. Being humorous is fine but too much can come off as being desperate or not taking things seriously. To go with the dating analogy again, be just enough to snag that second date. Who knows? That personality may be enough to have you round the bases.

Understand? Let me know if you have something better in mind, liked what I had to say, or just sound off on the comment section if you don’t buy what I’m selling.

Of all job questions, the one that remains most pertinent has always been, “yeah, but how much are you going to pay me?”

Salary negotiating can be as intricate as a chess match, with each party trying to gain the upper hand. There are several pitfalls that can be avoided during the litany of job questions you’re being asked. These are the most common mistakes made when negotiating one’s salary.

1. Talking about money too soon.

Applicant: Hi, I’m Soandso.

Interviewer: Nice to meet you Soandso, I’m Whatshisface.

Applicant: A pleasure. So Whatshisface, how much are you going to pay me?

Money should not be amongst the first of any job questions you might have. Don’t mention salary right away, even if the interviewer mentions that the job is out of your typical pay range. If you can prove that you’re worth it, you might be able to talk them up to your pay range later. Salaries are always negotiable, getting kicked out of an interview after only two job questions is not. Also, if you’re interviewing with a large corporation, there is a good chance that salary negotiations will be done by another person from human resources during the official job offer anyway. Money shouldn’t be mentioned until after at LEAST the second interview. According to the bestselling guide, 10 Minute Guide to Job Interviews by Dana Morgan, “He who speaks first loses.” Unless one of the job questions specifies you must give your salary history in order to be considered a candidate, let them do the talking first.

2. Giving too much away.

Interviewer: Well, the salary range for this position is between thirty and thirty five scrabillion dollars.

When asking job questions the focus of your negotiations should actually be what you bring to the company, not what you need from them. According to Morgan, “So what if you have a big mortgage, a new baby, a big car payment, and a college tuition to manage into your budget?” The employer may be sympathetic, but these expenses will not convince her to pay you a higher salary.” Unless the interviewer’s job questions include ‘How many palimony payments do you need to make a month?’ you may want to hold back. Again, focus on your value to the company, not how much money you need.

3. Not adhering to reality.

Interviewer: So, we’re a small company of only 5 employees. We start all entry level employees at ___ dollars an hour.

Applicant: How am I supposed to pay for the private jet with that kind of money?

Of course you would like to be earning Donald Trump’s salary. Your mommy may say you’re special, but that doesn’t mean your job questions can bend reality. Asking for a salary beyond a company’s means when asking job questions comes off as immature, especially for entry level positions. According to the 10 Minute Guide to Job Interviews, the higher the position, the more room there is to negotiate. “Negotiating a 10-12% increase over the salary originally offered to you is not unreasonable,” Morgan says. It’s important to keep this in mind when asking your list of job questions. Your best possible approach is to find out what the salary range for the position is and adjust your requests accordingly.

In today’s job market it might seem impossible ask for a higher salary when asking your job questions, but that’s not entirely true. It comes down to three basic rules: Don’t be too quick on the draw, don’t show all of your cards, and don’t have your head in the clouds. These simple rules can help to make you a master salary negotiator. If done right, you’ll be able to add “How much are you going to pay me?” to your litany of job questions – and you’ll get away with it too!

Back in the day, a college degree was seen as a rare thing that only a few precioussnowflakes could hope to snag. Those few who got a degree were usually guaranteed a sweet job of their choosing due to their education. However, as college degrees have become more common over the past several decades, getting your associate’s or bachelor’s isn’t as unique as it once was. College graduates are all over the job market and competing for slim pickings. Relying on that degree in leisure studies just isn’t going to cut it.

Furthermore, times are tough. Businesses are tightening their belts. This has affected recent college graduates especially hard. The few jobs available are highly competitive and companies aim more towards the older crowd with prior work experience. This is perhaps the biggest strike against recent graduates, lack of work experience. The question for a recent or soon to be graduate is how to step up and show the corporate world what’s what. Grads need to get the older pencil pushers to pay attention.

Best way to start is to do it sooner rather than later. Be the first out the gate looking for a job among the most recent crop of graduates makes for the best pickings. Don’t depend on campus recruitment drives to show you the way. However, work it with these people. Make connections with these recruiters, even if you’re not going to graduate for another semester or two. Getting started early helps when the end of the semester is approaching and you’re in need of some down time to blow off steam on thirsty Thursday’s.

Face facts, though. You most likely won’t find your ideal job right away. What you can do is start accruing experience any way you can. Start small and not in fast food. Don’t apply your degree to Chick-Fil-A unless it’s for some management position. The place is delicious but your chances of advancing your career there are pretty small. Look for something that may be a stepping stone to better things. Being able to have some work experience is better than not having any. Also, don’t limit yourself to just your immediate surroundings. Pack up and hit the road. There are good jobs out there if you look outside your home state. Plus, you can avoid running into your exes if you step out of your college town.

Once you begin gathering some experience, keep your feelers out in the job market and watch when positions open up. Networking, especially with those job recruiters you became chummy with, can help you net a position even if it’s a year or two down the road. If all else fails, consider returning to school for a post graduate degree. It may seem cowardly to run back to school but it can make all the difference on your resume. While a bachelor’s is a dime a dozen, a master’s is still rare. Nab these advanced degrees to give you an extra leg up. Furthermore, being in school can give you a breather in terms of student loan repayments to help you orientate yourself and look for a job.

Finally, you may need to change your expectations about your dream job or field. When you first picked your major freshman or sophomore year it’s akin to beer goggles. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but on retrospect you seriously regret making that call. Be flexible and don’t be afraid to change it up if you’re beating your head against a brick wall.

So what do you think? Do you like this article? Hate it? Agree? Disagree? Whatever your answer, it’s all good in the hood… just show me your alive by leaving a comment down below!

It’s true that being unemployed is no fun. You’re cut off from the work place and many of your regular contacts are nowhere to be found. Its ironic how eagerly people look forward to having time off when they’re holding down a job but are so desperate to secure employment when they have all the time in the world at home. Regardless, being without a job can be a crushing experience that quickly mounts until hopelessness and despair sets in.

Psychology plays a big part in being unemployed, especially if you have a partner or school aged children. Your significant other gets up and heads to work. The kids get packed up in the morning and sent off to the school bus. All that’s left is you and an empty house. That kind of pressure builds up and crushes down on a person. Before long, the frantic activity of trying to find a new job begins dying down. Either responses are not forthcoming or there just isn’t anything good out there. Where do you turn in the meantime?

Talking to your partner is always a good start. However, if this person is at work all day it may be hard to find comfort when you need it during the regular working hours. The same goes for employed friends. Venting about your frustrations often falls on the most receptive ears when that person is also unemployed. It makes sense to pal around with people who have been laid off. Both of you have plenty of free time to commiserate about the tough job market and how it feels to be unemployed. There’s nothing wrong with this. Everyone needs some time to air their feelings and grievances.

However, there has to come a time when the talking stops and the doing begins. Hanging around all day with unemployed friends and family isn’t going to nab you a job. Joining job clubs isn’t much of a solution either. I doubt an unemployed friend is going to hand you a position unless they are clearly under qualified for it.

The best place to keep up your job search is to stay in regular contact with employed friends or old coworkers. The key is not to center your conversation on how you feel but rather keep it upbeat and cordial. Remember your networking skills. Staying in touch with those who are employed still can garner you results. How else are you going to get a leg up on the competition besides having good connections? Venting your feelings is fine from time to time but there’s going to come a time when you need to step up to the plate. Schmooze with the employed and keep your ear to the ground. Other unemployed people aren’t going to readily hook you up with a new occupation.

The Internet has become one of the dominant forces in society, so much so that millions of people rely on it for not only information and entertainment but for securing their very livelihood. When they were first introduced, online job posting boards were viewed as novel ways of advertising a job opening. Those who were savvy enough in the Wild West days of the Internet were able to readily secure employment with a minimum of leg work. You didn’t need to spend days running from company to company, resume in hand. One could sit at home and apply for jobs far quicker than someone who went door to door or poured over classified advertisements.

However, the Internet has become such an overwhelming force in modern society that most job listings are available online. For those who have been around the job market block once or twice, consider when was the last time you walked into a company and filled out an application in person? Do many businesses even have physical applications anymore? It seems like everything has to be done electronically these days because it not only is a greater convenience for employers but it also makes the job hunt for employees that much easier.

Still, the ease of access has made job hunting that much more difficult. Online job listings are so common that anyone can apply for them. This in turn makes the competition for each position that much more difficult. If you can just send in an application with a few clicks of the mouse, what stops thousands of other people applying for this same spot? Other applicants can easy blanket the job market with dozens, if not hundreds, of applications done over the course of a weekend. This makes actually securing a job through an online posting that much more difficult.

Nevertheless, their used to be a time when networking face to face was the only way to get a job. The old adage of it wasn’t important what you knew as who you knew was in full force. Does this rule still apply? Personally, there are many instances where having someone on the inside made all the difference in securing my employment. Two of my last three occupations were secured through having a friend already working there. Does this mean personal networking reigns supreme?

Personal networking maybe able to help you more readily secure a job but it certainly isn’t as broad or expansive as Internet job postings. The answer for which form of job finding is best depends on your personal qualifications and your openness towards differing job fields. Online job boards definitely present you with a wide range of options. However, the likelihood of getting one of these professions varies wildly. Conversely, having an insider can make a huge difference in getting hired, but you’re limited by who you know and where they work. The choice, really, depends on you.

The employment market is a brave new world after the recession. It’s highly doubtfulthat things will ever go back to the way they were. Economic downturn altered the landscape of corporate America for good. Companies scrambled and cut cost to remain afloat. Many didn’t make it in time. The survivors are now different creatures in 2011 compared to 2008. Heath Ledger’s Joker couldn’t have been accurate when he said “There’s no going back. You’ve changed things. Forever.” Here’s a quick rundown of some of the fundamental shifts.

Businesses have cut many functions thought integral in 2008. Operating in 2011 requires being quick, agile and cost efficient. Many functions that aren’t directly related to producing profit or maintaining core business have gone the way of the Dodo. Think in-house customer service or tech support.

This in turn led to employers discovering that economic hardship is a great work force motivator. More work could be done with fewer people. Although it may sound cynical, many businesses profited from this economic hardship by reducing payroll at the same time they boosted productivity. Ten workers were now being cajoled into doing the work fifteen did before.

Many of the jobs today require different sets of skills compared to 2008. Due to the rise of social networking, companies are scrambling for experts in this field. Going green is another big demand field for employers. Those of you who have background in these specialties are in luck. Those that don’t may want to update their skill set to remain competitive.

While more jobs are expected to be created in 2011 than the past several years, don’t be surprised if these positions are less attractive than 2008 postings. A good deal of work is likely to be done by contractors, temporary workers and freelancers. Be prepared to fly by the seat of your pants in this new job market. Having a desk and cubicle may not always be a reality for new jobs. Don’t be surprised if you float between companies for awhile.

Furthermore, many of these new job postings are going to be missing the bells and whistles that 2008 jobs had. Forget about corporate perks unless you’re a high level member of management. Corporate cars and cell phones are going the way of pension plans. Companies today simply can’t, or won’t, pay for extra niceties.

The one benefit for new workers in 2011 is that more workers are turning down offers to relocate for a job. Mortgage troubles and families living off multiple jobs have rendered most workers sedentary creatures. Those are have few roots are likely to be favored in this new workplace due to their mobility.

Consider this before seeking resume tips. Does making a potential employer salivate at the thought of hiring you press your buttons? It should. Employers, sadly, hold a great deal of power, especially in today’s market where a college degree doesn’t turn as many heads as it used to. Follow these 10 resume tips to transform your resume from granny panties to Victoria Secret.

Plan Ahead-These resume tips are all about early planning. Making your resume on the fly doesn’t always cut it. There’s a lot of info you need to pack into a tiny space. Traditionally a resume should only be one page. That means of all your strengths and skills you need to pick the ones that make you into a hired surefire.

Call, text, chat, etc– Offer employers several contact options for getting a hold of you. Put your email, day telephone, cell phone, smoke signal location, etc. The more options available to contact you the better your chances of getting a response in some shape or form. Even a polite email saying ‘thanks, but no thanks’ is better than nothing. Resume tips like this promote greater connectivity.

Hush Hush- However, be careful about listing your business number when you’re out on the prowl. Your current occupation is like your nagging wife and this new job opportunity is your young mistress, don’t give her your house number! A future employer calling your cuckolded present one is a surefire way to awkwardness or possible termination. Resume tips used wisely should never get you fired!

Space Saver- Resume tips like this tie in with #1. Your contact information can take up a sizeable chunk of your resume space. Cheat the system and list your personal contact data in the margins. Doing so gives you extra space to explain how awesome you are. Resume tips are all about making you look good.

Meet them Half Way- Again, resume tips like this link to #1’s emphasis on good planning. Employers are always looking for something more than a warm body when they post an opening for a job. Find out exactly what they’re looking for. Really dig at the job posting and tailor your resume to that end. Furthermore, should you snag an interview make sure you press the employer about what their needs are. Who knows? You may get a better job than you applied for with that initiative using resume tips like this.

Organized Work Experience- Tidy up your work experience section on your resume. Make it organized and in chronological order starting at your current job. Keep what you list relevant if possible. You’re trying to impress an employer with your dazzling array of prior experience, remember?

Relevant Education- Did you major in pottery? Are you applying for a business finance position? Probably best to look elsewhere.

“He’s so Dreamy”- It never hurts to have a few quotes on your side. Should your past work experience be thronged with comments or decorations, from reputable sources that employers can trace, try and include them should they appear relevant.

Too Personal-Personal interests and experiences help a resume come to life. However, there is a fine line to walk here. Resume tips like this are all about relevance. Parasailing is great and all but I doubt employers are going to find it fascinating. Unless your applying for a parasailing career.

Limit Yourself- All these categories and inclusions have a tendency to needlessly bulk up and swell your resume. Be smart with your resume tips. Don’t be afraid to take a little off the top. Be precise, clear and short with what you include. Brevity is the soul of wit. Organize your information to be visually appealing and easy to dissect.

It’s cliché to say that laughter is the best medicine. How many times has that phrase been bandied about? However, a growing body of data has found that laughter not only has positive health benefits but it also can help enhance a person’s presence in both social situations and in the work place. Shouldn’t you try to laugh a bit more in your everyday life?

Laughter acts as a nature de-stressor. It’s pretty intuitive, right? People feel better after laughing. They’re calmer, more at ease and appear happier after a good laugh. There’s a scientific reason for this. Laughing improves the flow of oxygen in the blood. Increased oxygen flow equates with quicker healing times, hence the enduring popularity of Patch Adams-esque approaches to medicine, and greater circulation, which helps the vascular system. The increased circulation helps lower the heart rate and expands one’s arteries. The heart really does benefit from laughing.

Furthermore, laughing can also help you slim down. As you laugh your metabolism is stimulated through the increased flow of oxygen and blood. This in turn amps up your ability to burn calories and to shed extra pounds. A full minute of laughter, according to Neurologist Henri Rubenstein, provides 45 minutes of subsequent relaxation. Doesn’t that sound better than a stress ball? To stress the health benefits once more, 100 laughs equal a 10 minute workout on a rowing machine.

Despite these health benefits, people laugh less as they grow older. Studies have shown that the average adult only laughs about 15 times a day. Why so serious? A young child usually laughs upwards of 400 times a day.

These benefits can translate into workplace success through keeping a lighter frame of mind. Laughing encourages bonding. Humor and the process of laughing is a social interaction that often can help break the ice. Don’t you laugh more in a room full of people than when you’re sitting home alone? However, only a small percentage of laughter comes from telling jokes. Most laughter is derived from sharing life experiences, making observations and just expressing yourself in a positive way. Can sharing life experiences be a bit of a bummer sometimes? Of course. Life isn’t always rosy. Nevertheless, simply smiling and talking is an effective way to make a good impression on an interviewer or a coworker than sitting with a scowl and frowning.

Advertisers have hit on the importance of humor. Just think of all the advertisements that use humor to sell products. The better performed the joke or skit the more memorable the ad is. Isn’t that why the biggest advertising day of the year, the Super Bowl, is filled with dozens of humorous commercials? Remembering to keep things light and to venture into the job market with a smile is a sure way to be memorable and upbeat. Quit being such a stuffed shirt all the time. Laughter, they’re a dime a dozen.

People communicate far more with their body language than they are probably aware of. How much more? I don’t know. I’m not a scientist. Regardless, body language is an important tool to utilize during the interview process. Posture, tone and poise can help seal the deal for you far more than mere words. Just put yourself in the shoes of an interviewer. Would you be apt to hire a person who says all the right things but never makes eye contact with you, mumbles and continually is playing with his or her hair? Possibly, depending on other candidates. However, this person certainly hasn’t done themselves any favors by acting like a distracted cheese ball. Here are 3 tidbits to know when analyzing body language.

1. Piece Together the Entire Message- Body language is far more than just one single gesture. The body has an insane number of combinations in regards to posture, tone and activity. Going off just one aspect of body language doesn’t cut it. Just like listening to someone speak a sentence, follow a person’s ongoing body language. Shifting around in a chair once isn’t necessarily an interview faux pas. Perhaps you’re just getting comfortable. But continually squirming around is a sure sign of nervousness, discomfort or hemorrhoids. Compound that with maybe sweating or rapid eye movements and you got yourself a signal saying you’re either scared or lying.

2. Honesty Shows- What you’re saying and what you’re doing with your body can often send mixed signals. Has your girlfriend or boyfriend ever said they’re fine and then stomp away and slam a door behind them? Obviously there’s something much larger going on. Your body language can easily betray your true feelings. This can occur in an interview just as much as in social situations. How many times have you feigned interest in a conversation by nodding your head and agreeing? You may be keeping up with a person’s boring line of questioning verbally but if you’re visibly nodding off it shows. Get a handle on your body language.

3. Context Matters- Body language, and pretty much most forms of communication, rely on context. Is someone sending you signals that they want to leave and are noticeably ignoring what you’re saying? Don’t be offended. She’s not wearing a coat and it happens to be negative 2 degree right now. Look for environmental clues to explain body language. I’m sure she likes you. Just don’t hold her hostage in the middle of snowstorm.

Being a good reader of body language is hard. Modern humans are more mentally focused on words than gestures. However, our bodies are still attuned to sending messages through via physical means. This implies that oodles of information can go whizzing by your head with you none the wiser. Have a keener eye for body language, focus on how someone says something rather than what they’re saying.

A resume cover letter is the first step to getting hired and is far more important than many hopeful employees are aware of. You know when you see someone walking towards you that you’re meeting and know it’s just not going to go well? Someone that just walked off the set of Jersey Shore or Tool Academy and you can already tell you don’t want anything to do with them? That’s what a lame resume cover letter can do to you. You become that guy! Undoubtedly you’re quite interested in getting a job so consider these four tips to avoid seeing that precious resume cover letter of yours in the dumpster.

Introduce yourself– A resume cover letter is the place to tell a future employer all about who you are and what you have to offer. It’s really the paper equivalent of speed dating. You only have a small window to get yourself out there before its time to move on to the next one. A resume is usually cut and dry but a resume cover letter pretty much gives you free reign to promote how awesome you are. However…

Great kid, don’t get Cocky– As Han Solo tells Luke Skywalker, so this article tells you. A resume cover letter is the place to talk yourself up but don’t overdo it. Walk the fine line between self-promotion and self-aggrandizement. That means being an arrogant windbag to the non-English majors. Be assertive and confident but also humble enough to know when to stop.

Have you done your Homework– Another aspect of a resume cover letter is talking about who you’re applying to. This shows you are actually researching potential employers and not just dropping your resume online left and right. Bring up what you know about your possible employer. A quick Google search is a pretty good way to get a bead on a company. Plus it can also help you realize if you really want to work for someone. Nothing is worse than jumping through hoops to get hired and finding out where you work is a terrible place. That poison gas factory sounded so appealing when I applied…

Call me– Although this seems very common sense ALWAYS include your contact information on your resume cover letter. How else are they going to get in touch with you? Putting your name, telephone number and email address on a cover letter is beyond essential. This is going to be the cover to your resume, you need to have that information somewhere super accessible and easily seen so an employer can just glance at your CV and know how to reach you.

Simple tips really but they are unequivocally effective. Remember that a resume cover letter is the first thing a possible employer will see. You want it to be the best you can do. Make that awesome first impression by writing a killer resume cover letter.

Getting out into the real world with the best resume isn’t so much a matter of showcasing your successes but hiding your failures. In essence you want to idiot proof yourself. This conscious decision will go a long way into crafting the best resume you can that grabs the attention of employers looking for that idiot proof employee.

Lay it out– Load your best resume with the best formatting you can. Be clear and concise. A hiring manager shouldn’t have to examine a flow chart or cheat sheet to understand where you went to school or what your last job was.

Clean it up– Ditch the needless and go straight for the essential. Unless you like wearing an apron and a funny hat drop the summer you worked at McDonald’s from your potentially best resume. Put job experiences that are actually relevant. You’re going to be a hard sell walking into a bank for an interview with a resume saying all you did was rob banks for a living.

Dress it up- Remember hearing that extracurricular activities would pay off down the road and that you’d have the best resume out there if you did something with your spare time? Well, now is that time to tell everyone you rocked as a volunteer ladling soup to the homeless. It may sound sappy but showcasing these outside activities demonstrate that you are willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. Plus you’ll look less like a callous jerk when the applicant next to you lists their time scraping oil off seabirds as their hobby.

Professionalize-Make sure you’re using language that is becoming of a potential young professional with the best resume in hand. Saying y’all, ain’t or MaKinG yOur ResUmE LQQk l1ke ThIS!!! won’t help you an inch.

Call Me- Including contact information isn’t just common sense but probably one of the most essential things on the best resume. List your name, telephone number and email address so your sparkling fresh best resume has an owner attached to it.

Be Concise- Just the facts, ma’am. Stick to the basics when it comes to describing your education and past job experience. Too much information will bloat your resume. Trim the fat where you can using direct verbs that describe what you did at your last job. Leave your personal feelings at the door when it comes to making the best resume.

Simple as that really. Making the best resume really depends on you and your experiences. Just use action centric language that shows how much you really did at your prior occupations even if you barely did anything. With these six tips in mind you’ll have the best resume in no time.

A cover letter for a resume is an essential part of netting yourself a hotly coveted job. A cover letter for a resume works as the first official piece of propaganda a prospective employer sees about who you are and what you can do. You need to go Stalin on these fools. Companies undoubtedly see countless resumes. The key is making a special cover letter for a resume that is exclusive just for you and speaks about you as an individual. The ultimate key is getting past those pesky resume screeners. These guardians act as the gatekeepers between you and that hot juicy job on the other side. Making it past these watchmen and women requires a deft handle on the finer points of writing a cover letter for a resume.

Resume screeners sift through all of the incoming applicants with a fine tooth comb. Even if they did this with a dull tooth comb, where would they even buy one, resume screeners are on the lookout for generic, boring or cookie-cutter resumes. A cover letter for a resume helps overcome this first hurdle by demonstrating that you have actually put some thought into applying for this job beyond going to Kinko’s, making a few dozen copies of your CV and tossing them at anyone who was hiring.

It is sometimes astounding how few resumes actually come with a cover letter, even when a job posting specifically lists a cover letter as a necessity. Usually these woefully unprepared aspiring hopefuls are callously pushed aside by the screeners. Don’t be like them. Having a cover letter for a resume is vital even if the position doesn’t call for it. The dirty secret is a cover letter for a resume is far simpler than you might have imagined.

A cover letter for a resume, first of all, needs to include an introduction. Essentially this sums up who you are and what you can do. Saying your name helps. Telling them where you went to school and where you worked before does too. Go into depth about how your past experiences have shaped you. This part is simply an annotated version of your resume. Give some more back story on what your deal is. If you had a really amazing job in the past that’s going to serve you well now sing its praises in this section on your cover letter for a resume. Just look at your resume as an outline to writing this section. Go point by point expanding on what you’ve been up to before applying to this job.

The second portion requires doing a little quick research. Just Google search who you’re applying to and make it clear that you’re actually aware of who you’re applying to and how you can fit in. This is perhaps the biggest thing resume screeners catch. Not having this portion might as well come with a label saying ‘I don’t care’.

The dirty truth to writing a cover letter for a resume is that it’s so simple so many people skip over doing it. Avoid being one of those. Craft an individualized cover letter for a resume that’ll beat the screeners.

Interview question and answers are essentially a trial by fire for most incoming applicants. This examination pretty much makes or breaks your chances of getting the job you’re applying for. Nevertheless, while there is a lot of stress behind the interview question and answers process you don’t need to let it bring you down. Loosen up a little. Don’t blow it by following this interview question and answers session.

Loosen Up– Getting a new job is potentially an extremely nerve wracking experience. But only if you let it be that way. Walking into an interview question and answers crossfire sweating bullets not only makes you look bad but tells your future employer this guy needs to unwind. This is a simple mind over matter trick. Interview question and answers can be intimidating and grueling but if you mentally prepare yourself by giving yourself plenty of relaxation time beforehand you’ll be in the proper state of mind come interview question and answers time.

Be Qualified– This goes without saying but when it comes to the nitty-gritty interview question and answers process you better know what’s up. There is a fine line between talking yourself up in your resume and doctoring it completely. Don’t cross that line or it’ll show when its interview answer and question time.

Be Confident- Milquetoasts often do not get their dream jobs. If you are finally at bat for that job you’ve always wanted don’t let it whistle past you. Stand up for yourself and take a swing. Confidence, in the proper doses, can bolster your presence in the eyes on an interviewer. Self confidence in an interview certainly can help you explain any questionable choices on your resume. Did you really major in pottery? Being self assured can make this questionable business decision sound like the smartest move on the planet if you can back it up with an unwavering conviction in yourself. Still…

Lessons in Humility- While confidence is good during an interview question and answers session, a little dose of humility can go a long way. Kicking in the door to your future supervisor’s office and saying you’re gunning for his job most likely won’t net you any brownie points. Furthermore, employers often like a dose of humility in their employees. Keeps them easy to manage. Demonstrate that your ego doesn’t rule your professional side. Be willing to make concessions and fit in. Conformity is often good when applying. Save the break out stuff until you’re already in the door maverick.

You want it?Go Get It- Asserting yourself shows dedication. While this can be lumped in with confidence, being assertive extends beyond having faith in yourself. Reach out for opportunities. During an interview question and answers segment promote your experiences as much as you can. Your resume should already be filled with relevant information. Sell it as much as you can!

Undoubtedly an interview question and answer session will put some stress on your broad shoulders. Nevertheless, go forth and conquer and you will beat that interview question and answers segment hands down with these tips.

Learning how to interview for a job is more of an ongoing process than a cut and dry ‘class is in session’ type thing. The knowledge you pick up as you learn how to interview for a job over the course of an occupation search furthers you along the road to success. However, while experience is the best teacher it helps to have an ace up your sleeve. Review these five stupidly simple tips on how to interview for a job and be ready to score big.

Presentation– Understanding how to interview for a job comes with accepting that attitude is certainly factored in by future employers. Carry yourself in a professional manner. Don’t put your feet up on the desk of the hiring manager. That’s an assured way to find yourself continually unemployed. Act professional when looking to become a professional.

Packaging– As you learn how to interview for a job you’ll notice that appearance plays a big part. It’s sad but true that looks sometimes factor in to the hiring process. This isn’t so much of a beauty contest as a fashion show. While it may seem shallow to say this, dress your best when you’re just starting to learn how to interview for a job. Even if your job may be down at the local mall strike a pose by dressing to the nines.

Body Language- While you may be as eloquent as Cicero when answering all the questions that are thrown your way during an interview. Nowever, the responses can be rendered meaningless if your body language is off. A great deal of communication is non-verbal. Learn how to interview for a job by controlling your reactions. Rehearsing how to answer the typical interview questions is fine and all, but you need to sell it. Sweating bullets sometimes cannot be helped but if you’re crossing your arms and shaking your head as you answer every question you might as well be signaling that everything you’re saying is a lie.

Assertiveness- Being passive as you learn how to interview for a job may seem natural because you are the one on trial when applying for a job. You are the one being interviewed. However, demonstrate your eagerness for this job by being assertive. Ask questions. Follow up with open ending responses. Show that you want to work there by taking an interest in the job environment.

Humility- While promoting yourself is great as you learn how to interview for a job, doing so with a bit of humility can be quite endearing. No one likes a pompous jerk. Don’t be that person in your interview. Ask questions but don’t turn the tables on the hiring manager. Be respectful.

Just remember to mind your Ps and Qs when on an interview. You really only get one shot at making this impression. Make sure it’s a good one. Keep these tips in mind as you learn how to interview for a job.

Do you have the best job in America? If you’re a systems engineer, according to CNN Money, then you have the top spot in the country. A systems engineer is the overarching big brain behind large projects with multiple moving parts. These information tech gurus coordinate the efforts of smaller engineering teams to produce big results.

Originally a fringe job specific to the defense industry or an aeronautics firm, systems engineer is becoming hot commodities to other sector beyond things that fly or drop nuclear bombs. Companies such as Xerox and BMW are currently headhunting for systems engineers. Other industries include medical prosthesis developers and other high tech fields.

Systems engineers combine the six figure earning potential of many executives with a more hands on, creative intensive approach of those who are doing work in the trenches. “The transit system I work on really makes a tangible difference to people,” says Anne O’Neil, chief systems engineer for the New York City Transit Authority. This field usually has its sights set on the big picture with systems engineers supervising the project from planning to completion.

However, tight deadlines may deter some hopeful applicants as well as long working hours. Nevertheless, being a systems engineer requires just an undergraduate degree in engineering. Depending on the company addition credentials may be required in the form of a certified systems engineer professional (CSEP) license.

Asking sneaky job interview questions can help you get ahead in a competitive field. Sneaky questions aren’t so much being dirty or underhanded, but asking a query in a certain way that provides you with information most applicants aren’t privy to. Asking one of these sneaky job interview questions is like being the James Bond or Sam Fisher of interviewing. You get in, nab the intel and get out only to return with bigger guns and gadgets. Follow along with this series of knowledge garnering job interview questions to ask the hiring manager.

Who would you point to as the top performer in this position? – One of the job interview questions not asked very often pertains to the status of present employees. However, asking about those who have already netted the job you may be after is a sneaky and underutilized trick. Discovering that Dick Jones is the head guy at Omni Consumer Products lets you know who to reference for this next question.

What traits make him or her stand out? – Once you’ve identified the company’s top performer, go after the hiring manager and find out what that individual does. Is he or she timely with their deadlines? Does he or she go above and beyond the call of duty routinely? Uncover exactly what makes this potential employee of the year so special with this pertinent query, one of several key job interview questions for an employer. Discover the traits that elevate this person above the rank and file. Take notes!

What specific actions or behaviors make him or her so successful? – Once you did a little digging about the most successful person in your field at your potential employer, find out why their attributes are so valued and desired. Is that no procrastination policy important because the job you’re applying to depends on tight deadlines? Does the hiring manager look kindly on those who go above and beyond the call of duty because the company is in the middle of tough times? This is perhaps one of the most important sneaky job interview questions because it lets you know what traits are in high demand at your possible future workplace.

These three sneaky job interview questions build on each other. This progression is vital to uncovering these hidden tidbits of knowledge. Take excellent notes. Utilize this information in a killer follow up letter or call to the hiring manager. Demonstrate your interest and the intelligence you gathered by marketing yourself as the second coming of the Golden Employee. Use these sneaky job interview questions to get ahead.

Interview questions for teaching professionals are often geared in a different way than the standard interview questions. This is due to the unique role that teachers have. They dont’ have a responsibility to clients or customers. Teaching professionals hold a much more hallowed responsibility beyond generating sales or providing customer assistance. Interview questions for teaching professionals are directed at how you, a hopeful teaching professional, can benefit the students. Your responsibilities center on educating the next generation. These interview questions for teaching professionals will be geared and phrased differently because of that. Never fear, however, because school is in session with these five tips on interview questions for teaching professionals you cannot afford to pass up.

Why Did You Decide To Become A Teacher?– This first query is sometimes the first one of the many interview questions for teaching professionals asked, but it usually the one most similar to other interview questions. Essentially focus on what made you go to school to pursue a career in teaching. Were you inspired by a past teacher? Or do you have an overwhelming desire to educate just because? Think back to what propelled you on this path when responding to one of these first interview questions for teaching professionals.

Are You Patient?– If you’re a teacher you’ve probably have been asked this again and again. However, of all the interview questions for teaching professionals this one has the most bearing on job performance. Teaching requires oodles of patience. Knowing this before ever getting into this field is beyond necessary for a rewarding and sustainable career.

What’s Your Teaching Philosophy?- Answer this question based on your personal style of instruction. Do you favor a looser approach to teaching where children are allowed to develop on their own? Or do you view teaching as more direct instruction that shapes children into their future selves? Apply your education here and explain how you would manage the classroom.

How Do You Handle A Difficult Parent?– This is often the trickiest of the interview questions for teaching professionals. Teachers and parents are often positioned in a delicate balancing act over the development of a child. Nevertheless, it is important to note that parents, no matter how incorrect they may be, have the final say so on their children’s education. It may be frustrating and it may be unfair but the parents have the ultimate say. The best trick is to use that old axiom that you catch more bees with honey rather than vinegar.

How Do You View Technology In The Classroom?– It’s unavoidable that classrooms will become increasingly sophisticated as time progresses. What’s important to consider when answering one of these technologically themed interview questions for teaching professionals is that you don’t want to make it seem that you envision a future where technology replaces teachers. Explain your views on technological teach aides. Do you see them as beneficial? Or are they more of a distraction that hampers personal instruction?

Going on an interview as a teaching professional comes with these tricky questions. Remember, the ultimate goal of a teacher is to be there for the students. Keep this in mind when answering these interview questions for teaching professionals.

Interview questions for teachers often come couched differently from most other professions. Being a teacher is a position of power that has with it certain responsibilities many other jobs don’t. Interview questions for teachers often reflect what you can do for the children. Being a teacher really is about being there for your students, not for yourself. Schools know this and seek out the most dedicated, knowledgeable and caring applicants that they can find. Therefore, it is incredibly important that you are operating at you’re A+ best. School is in session with this coacher for interview questions for teachers.

What Is Your Teaching Philosophy?– One of the key interview questions for teachers is usually based around your teaching philosophy. What method of instruction do you favor? Administrators will invariably ask some variation of this essential question. Just focus on what you think works for students. This depends on the level of school you intend to teach. Do you feel younger students should be free to roam and develop on their own with lots of open time? Or do they need a guiding hand that structures their development?

Who Inspired You To Become A Teacher?– Another of the guaranteed interview questions for teachers stems from the simple query of why. Why do you want to teach? Many interviews throw this curveball at prospective applicants. Beyond answering that you want a paycheck, reply to this question with what got you interested in education. There has to be some spark that ignited the passion to teach within you. Dredge up why you went to college in the first place to answer this possible interview question.

What Are Your Credentials?- This is less of a question and more of a preparation. When you set off to run the gamut of interview questions for teachers make sure you are thoroughly accredited and certified. Don’t embarrass yourself by not completing all the necessary, although tedious, accreditation that comes with being a teacher. Indeed, you’ll most likely never make it to an interview without getting yourself squared away.

Can You Describe Your Favorite Teacher?- This falls in line with the second question but is a little more personal. One of the many pertinent interview questions for teachers stems around who you consider to be your favorite teacher and why. Many teachers are motivated into being educators by having had an instructor that delivered in the past. Ponder what teacher had the biggest impact on you. Did you want to be a teacher after having class this individual? Focus on your favorite teacher of all time and say why you want to be like that person when asked this potential interview questions for teachers.

Focus on your motivations when it comes to answering interview questions for teachers. Your motivation is drives you and propelled you forward on your journey. So don’t stop believing and face down those tough interview questions for teachers with determination.

The most archetypal interview question sample available is why. Why should you be hired for this job? Although very inherently simple and an immensely basic interview question sample, the query itself is quite bold. Almost offensive or off putting when first heard during an interview. A potential employer usually asks this question because it is so direct and confrontation that it screams to be asked from their perspective.

Think of it this way when pondering this interview question sample. Examine it from their vantage point. From all of the potential applicants who applied what makes you so special? They’re just trying to find the best person for the job. They can’t rely on hiring anyone that just has a pretty face. They need someone with substance and staying power, not a flash in the pan. The best defense against this interview question sample is to look deep inside and respond truthfully and honestly.

This interview question sample, why should you be hired, demands that you turn inwards and examine yourself. Do you have what it takes to get this job? While you are obviously qualified if you have come this far it still begs the question if you are personally ready. You may have the tools at your disposal, a proper education and potentially relevant job experience, and the talent to craft yourself in a certain way that gets you noticed, but do you have the knowledge of self?

Deep soul searching is important when preparing for this interview question sample. You may spend hours beforehand rehearsing what you plan on saying but once the moment comes that preparation may not hold up. It’s important to truly know and feel why you should be hired. Getting a job solely for a paycheck is an honorable intention, everyone has bills to pay, but using that as your sole response to this interview question sample simply won’t due.

Saying you’re doing it just for the money doesn’t work because practically everyone is doing it for the money. People wouldn’t do the nine the five grind out of the kindness of their own hearts. People get up at the crack of dawn so they can put some cash in the bank every Friday. Beating this interview question sample relies on knowing yourself. Understand what you are capable of and how you’re able to contribute to the job. A clear sign that you haven’t dug deep enough is when you begin to stutter and sweat when this question is posed to you.

Interviewing is stressful. However, it is just another hurdle to overcome on the way to netting that potential job. Know why you should be hired. Know why this job can only be for you. Understanding those concepts will let you slamdunk this interview question sample.

Ask great interview questions to turn the tables on the hiring manager. This allows you to demonstrate how clever you are by switching up the normal interview format of passively sitting by while being scrutinized by a hiring manager. Asking great interview questions to the person conducting the interview is an excellent way of showing your dedication. Being a passive participant doesn’t make you stand out. Get ready to shine with this primer on great interview questions to ask a potential employer.

How Many Team Members Will I Be Working With?– This is one of the great interview questions to ask because the vast majority of employees don’t operate like Lone World McQuade. Being an employee is being part of a team. Employers like team players. Show that you’re willing to be a good partner by being curious about who and how many coworkers you’ll be signing on with.

What’s On The Horizon For The Company This Year?– Beyond simply conducting business, a company always has a greater overarching objective in mind. Great interview questions demonstrate that you have more than just a passing interest in getting the job. Nothing shows this more than asking what is in store for the company. Not only does this make you look good but it also sheds some light on the prospects of this potential employer. Perhaps they’re in the middle of a shakeup or are about to switch to a new computer system. Knowing these things before day one gives you an edge as a well informed new hire by asking great interview questions.

What Challenges Will We Face In The Next Quarter?– Conducting business isn’t always a smooth process and asking great interview questions focused on some of the upcoming hurdles is always a smart move. This prepares you for any potential difficulties on your first day. Always look before you leap. Perhaps some of the challenges are so drastic that you might want to reconsider this job. However, more often than not this shows that you’re savvy enough to know that all businesses face problems. Benefit from this knowledge before you even sit down at your desk. G.I. Joe said it best, knowing is half the battle.

Am I A New Hire Or A Replacement?– Inquire about the position’s history with one of these great interview questions. If this is a new position, expect to have additional tasks with your job. You may be granted more freedom to define your position and flesh out how it functions. Or you may be needlessly micromanaged by a supervisor who is unsure about what to expect from this newly minted position. Even if you’re a replacement it’s important to know who came before you. This lets you know if this occupation has a high turnaround rate due to some unforeseen or unadvertised stress or strain.

These great interview questions can make you a far better informed applicant than the competition. Not only will you be more knowledgeable about that job but you’ll show that you’re taking this whole process seriously. Who knows, after asking these questions you may be a little more cautious about accepting the position. The only way to find out is to ask great interview questions.

Questions for interviews can sometimes come at you unexpectedly. Often questions for interviews are politically correct questions asked by a hiring manager to gauge your strengths and weaknesses. However, these are relatively easy to answer. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Nevertheless, there will be times when certain questions for interviews fly at you from left field. Ready yourself for these before they drop you to the floor.

Why Haven’t You Worked In This Field Before?– A batch of questions for interviews in this guise are often lobbed at those who are making a career move or transition. This particular question is a little loaded and filled with possible negative connotations. Shrug it off. Talk up how you just haven’t found the right opportunity to exercise these skills. Until now.

What Did You Think of Your Lost Boss?– Be careful with questions for interviews that come in this package. A hiring manager is testing to see if you’ll fall into the trap of bad mouthing people behind their backs. Also be wary of answering in overly glowing terms. Don’t be a suck up is key here. Be honest and truthful about your last employer. If she was a great motivator that propelled you forward but always leaned on you, say so. Try and stay objective. Save your venom for when you aren’t in the hot seat.

How Was Your Work Criticized?– Questions for interviews in this form can be hard to answer depending on how you felt about the criticism received. Everyone receives criticism in one form or another. However, there are times when those comments made were in error. Perhaps your former boss or coworker just didn’t get where you were coming from. On the other hand there are situations were that criticism was very constructive and helped you to improve. Focus on the positive criticisms to jump this hurdle.

Who Else Have You Applied To?– This question sizes up the level of commitment you have to this position. A hiring manager doesn’t need to hear that you applied to a restaurant, a clothing store, a bank and a construction site. None of those jobs have anything in common and show that you really couldn’t care where you get hired; as long as you get hired somewhere. When you divulge this information make sure it’s only on jobs within the same field.

Where Do You See Yourself Down The Road?– Gauging the future is difficult when answering questions for interviews with a focus on the future. Who knows where you’ll be five years from now. However, you can shape this question by speaking in aspirations and hopefuls. You may not actually attain those goals but demonstrating that you DO have goals is an important attribute to have.

These tricky questions for interviews are no sweat as long as you keep your cool. Just be smart and keep a level head. Don’t take any of them personally. It’s just business. Smoke these questions for interviews with these guidelines.

Ok, so that title sounds kind of dirty, but SEO is not. The way technology has been going, SEO is becoming more and more of a booming business. If you know how to do it, you’re in luck because not a lot of people do. This helps narrow down your competition a little bit, but as with any field, even the lesser known ones, you still have to figure out how to showcase your specific skills and talent so that you are the one who gets the job.

Know your stuff
Before you even dive into a job opportunity or submit your resume, make sure you’re familiar with how SEO works and that you have the experience to back up your claims. You can find some sample SEO job interview questions online to help you practice too- if you know a little bit about what kind of questions to expect in an interview, you can study up a little for them. Just make sure your answers sound genuine, not rehearsed. And no one likes a bad actor (ehm, Tori Spelling).

Speak the lingo
Think about SEO work you’ve done in the past. Sometimes it can get a bit complex. If you’re asked a question about a former job or particular work experience, make sure you’re able to explain how you did it. Sometimes the things that you know how to do- you just know and you don’t really think about how you do them anymore. But you need to know how to explain yourself in an interview, so practice explaining a few of your best projects so that you can do the same in your interview.

Keep up with current events
No, not the kind you see on the news or E Entertainment. (As you can probably tell, I’m guilty of keeping up on the celebrity gossip a bit myself!) Make sure that you know all about any new developments in the SEO field. You don’t want to blow an interview because you haven’t heard of something new or can’t answer a question because you’re not familiar with something. Kind of brings me back to knowing your stuff!

Do a little research
Make sure you visit the company’s blog or website so that you have an idea about what their ultimate vision or goal is, and as an added bonus, work some of that into your own skill set. You have the skills, but highlight those that you think will be the best fit for the company. Also, ask questions that are specific to that particular company. You’ll impress them and also show that you know how to do your research before diving in to a project (or in this case, an interview.)

When heading to an SEO job interview, just make sure you know what you’re talking about and are able to show off your skills. Make sure you know how to talk about what it is that you do and come prepared with company info and practice some interview questions before you go. As long as you possess the skills and knowledge in the field of SEO, all you need to do then is win them over with your charming personality and individual style!

Getting your resume

noticed by human resources is only the first step on your way to securing a new career. Nevertheless, you need to go the distance. Don’t sputter out just as you’re getting started. “You have to turn that around and give them a good interview even if they didn’t ask for it,” says Bill Byham, co-founder and CEO of Development Dimensions International.

Byham’s consulting firm has developed a unique interviewing strategy called targeted selection. The Fortune 500 consultant has crafted this unique system in order to get job applicants to speak in specifics to potential employers. Having interviewees spill the beans to the hiring manager is an easy way to get the goods on the incoming talents. However, Byham recently divulged a few tidbits from his system to aid the fresh faced up and comers as well as the grizzled veterans in nabbing that hot job.

Study Those Who Came Before– Interviewing for a job, as Byham says, is very dependent on who came before you. Was the individual who held your potential position habitually late? Most likely this will translate into interview questions focused around combating tardiness. Scout out the terrain before taking the plunge. Try and find an inside man or woman. Do your research on your potential employer and understand what issues they are currently trying to address by hiring you.

Honest Abe It– Liar liar pants on fire is a maxim passed on from childhood. Apply it when you’re making the rounds applying for jobs. Interviewers can often get pretty specific. If you’ve embellished yourself a bit too much be prepared for damage control. Be honest. It’s better to tell the truth about your average work performance than to lie and talk yourself up only to be backed into a corner. Honesty is always the best policy to insure against overeager digging by the hiring manager.

Strike While the Iron’s Hot– It may be daunting to be interviewed but often it’s a two way street. A bad interviewer will stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe they’re having an off day. Perhaps they’re just not that experienced. Regardless, take advantage of a sluggish interviewer by guiding the conversation. Be cagey enough to ask questions back. Doing so will not only shed more light on your potential job but also enable you to be in control. However, walk a fine line when doing this. Don’t be a jerk and dominate the conversation. Even a bad interviewer can sense smugness.

Byham’s tips could be essential to scoring the latest gig. His system has been touted far and wide by the Fortune 500. Use these hints to beat that system.

Economists and officials for the Department of Labor reported that a recent spike in first time unemployment claims indicates that the job market is still far from certain. These findings put a bit of a crimp on the hotly anticipated monthly jobs report from the government that is due out shortly. Spoiler alert indeed.

The recent increase is up 20,000 claims from the week prior and is higher than the forecasted 445,000 claims for unemployment insurance made by analysts. These findings, by Briefing.com, reinforce lingering doubts on the nation’s ongoing economic recovery.

“Everyone would like to see the labor market improve faster, but with the overall economy growing slowly, recent claim statistics suggest there has been little improvement in the labor market,” said Zach Pandl, economist with Nomura Securities.

According to economic brain trusts, claims need to fall below 400,000 before the nation’s job market has improved.

Although unemployment claims have seesawed back and forth throughout the past couple months, analysts are concerned about an upcoming expiration date for 2 million Americans on their unemployment insurance. Congress is set to draw swords over the issue as those who rely on the safety net cross their fingers for deliverance and an extension of benefits.

Unemployment insurances claims were reported more frequently in California due to massive layoffs in the fishing and forestry sectors. Smokey the Bear is set to collect his first unemployment check.

Do you need CV help? Are you so in need of CV help that you’ve begun the painful process of gnashing you teeth? Well gnash no more and turn here to the source of all your prayers for CV help. Crafting a resume is hard work but what’s more important is actually crafting a resume that works for you. Getting help is the first step to making that first leap into the big brave world of career success and opportunity. Let’s start with a list of five deadly mistakes to avoid.

Forget to Format This may seem to be pretty basic CV help but formatting is an essential component of making a mistake free resume. Without clear and proper formatting the person screening your resume might find Atlantis before they figure out where you graduated from. Make sure your resume doesn’t need annotations to be properly understood.

You Worked Where? Past jobs are great indicators of your potential to future employers. However, when getting CV help, make sure you understand that some past job experiences are worth more than others. That time at the Gas N’ Gulp might have been awesome that one summer, but Mr. Money Bags over at job central isn’t impressed. Talk up, so to speak, the jobs that are relevant for where you’re applying to.

This is it?CV help requires you to make your resume the best it can be. Part of this CV help focuses on the sidekick to the resume, the cover letter. Never go into a situation without a cover letter as part of your CV. Not only is a cover letter important to elevating you above all those poor slobs who forgot, or just didn’t care, to attach one to their resume, clearly not getting CV help, but it helps personalize your applicant. Plus a cover letter makes you appear to care about the job you’re applying for way more than you actually may be.

Please Don’t Tell Me… Make sure your resume is clean, physically clean that is. Although difficult to believe, many a resume often contains dirt, grime, foot particles or coffee stains. Accidents happen but don’t be surprised if you’re purposely not hired for this job.

And You Are? This is perhaps the more important part of getting CV help. Tell them your name! Contact information on your CV is so vitally important that it shouldn’t even have to be mentioned. But it’s being mentioned anyways because it does happen. Name, telephone number and email address are the three key features you need to have plastered all over your resume. How else will that prospective job get back in touch with you?

Well you’ve turned to the right place for help. Hopefully after digesting this list of don’ts you’ll understand that a workable resume is within your reach. Hopefully with this CV help you’re well on your way to that next great job.

The best resumes follow a very simple formula that has many variations but centers around the simple premise of being simple to read and relevant to the job at hand. Essentially the best resumes don’t play around and get right to the point. Although as you go on you might find ways of making your resume play to your strengths, crafting one of the best resumes requires examining what you’ve done and picking it apart with utter ruthlessness an determination. Possible employers are sure to be doing the same when you hand it in. Take a gander at these five critiques that should hopefully allow your resume to stand with the best of them.

Does it Make Sense?– Can anyone follow what you’ve trying to say on your resume, a potential candidate as one of the best resumes? It may sound all well and good to you but that’s because you lived through it. Can an outsider with no knowledge of your life understand the sequence of events that brought you to where you are now?

Is it Relevant?– We all can’t pick and choose the jobs we get, often jobs are taken out of necessity. However, despite your motivations for cleaning toilets, some jobs take precedence when writing one of the best resumes. Make sure your job experience fits, or at least has some type of connection to what you’re applying to.

Am I Ready for This? Sometimes that perfect dream job might be within your reach, but consider if you’re even ready to take the plunge. Just because you graduated college doesn’t mean to be widely optimistic. A positive outlook is excellent. Just don’t become hopelessly naïve or rely on wishful thinking. Look at your resume and determine if where your sending it to is ready for you. Think if you’re ready for it.

Does it Make Me Look Good?– The best resumes always build up the person behind it. You should never feel ashamed or embarrassed about anything on your resume. If you do then it’s back to the drawing board for sure. The best resumes showcase excellence. Only put your best work and your highest honors on your resume. You should feel proud enough to pin your resume to the front of your shirt. Hitting this milestone will let you know if you’re there or not.

Do They Know Who I Am?– The whole purpose of sending out a resume is so a potential employer can know who you are. Make sure you provide the details on getting back in touch with you. Simple as it sounds it’s a component of the best resumes. Name, telephone number and email address is all it takes.

You’re already on track to have one of the best resumes by reviewing your resume with these five critiques in mind. Most importantly take pride in crafting a resume. It’s an abridged story of you. Focus on that and you’ll have one of the best resumes in no time.

preparing for an interview thru alcohol

Could alcohol actually help in preparing for an interview? We’ve been hearing for years that a glass of red wine can actually help stave off heart disease, but can it really be the answer to helping on your next job interview?

Anyone that has spent time preparing for an interview can tell you that it’s not a pleasant experience. The stress alone can lead to anxiety, high blood pressure, and even lack of sleep. Here are three ways that moderate alcohol consumption prior to preparing for an interview might be the key to giving you the edge you need to succeed.

1. Alcohol can reduce anxiety.

Anxiety can destroy any attempts in preparing for an interview. How can you possibly Google your potential boss when you’re too busy curled up in the fetal position? A study published in the American Journal of Public Health has shown a correlation between moderate consumption of alcohol and stress levels. The study found that stress levels were actually lower in those that consumed moderate amounts of alcohol versus those that abstained. So, perhaps the next time you’re cowering in the corner instead of preparing for an interview, try cowering near the liquor cabinet instead.

2. Alcohol can reduce blood pressure.

Sweating, raised heart rate, and even headaches can all be caused high blood pressure, or hypertension – even temporary hypertension caused by stress. Are you finding that selecting your outfit for an interview is giving you a migraine? A Harvard study published in The Journal of Hypertension found the lowest levels of hypertension in young males consuming one to three drinks per day. Perhaps the next time your preparing for an interview is causing you to break out in hives, you should reach for a martini instead of the calamine lotion.

3. Alcohol can help you sleep.

You’ve been preparing for an interview all night and finally allow yourself to hit the pillow. You’re exhausted, and yet, you can’t sleep. How many of us have laid awake for hours the night before an interview only to feel like a zombie the following day? Could a snifter full of cognac be the answer to preparing for an interview? Perhaps a study isn’t necessary show the correlation between alcohol and sleep (I think most college students can prove that), but the key here is moderation. A little alcohol can help relax you allowing you to fall asleep, but too much can actually disrupt your sleep patterns. According to Alex Chediak, M. D., medical director of the Miami Sleep Disorders Center after several drinks, “Four hours into sleep, alcohol wears off and leaves you in an excitable state,” rendering your intentions moot.

Let’s be clear. Pub crawls the night before preparing for an interview is not probably the way to go. These studies were conducted with subjects consuming moderate amounts of alcohol – we’re talking a glass of red wine, not a fifth of vodka. Still, if printing out copies of your resume, rehearsing your handshake, and ironing your suit is making your hair fall out, a drink or two might be one of the best ways to go about preparing for an interview. Trouble preparing for an interview? Perhaps a nightcap might be the answer.

November 1st, 2010
LANDON LONG
Comments Off on 5 Steps To Avoid Bombing Your Technical Interview

So you have a technical interview coming up? Nervous? I’m talking about the second interview all you smart IT guys and gals go through when it’s time to step up to the plate and get that sweet job working in your field. Don’t panic. A technical interview may sound scary, it is comprised of two intimidating words nonetheless, but reading through this article will hopefully give you the backbone to survive the gauntlet otherwise known as a technical interview.

Just Relax– Did I say gauntlet? Just kidding. While it may sound grueling and scary, a technical interview is just a test of your expertise on the systems you’ll be working with. Just don’t work yourself up over this whole thing. If you had the gravitas to get this far you obviously know the rudimentary basics. Still…

Know What You’re Talking About– A technical interview is a test of your skills. Make sure you are qualified for this position in the first place. If you doctored up your resume or embellished your attributes a little too much then you might be in trouble. You’ll be given advanced warning of what exactly you’ll be asked in your technical interview. Take those college cramming skills and put them to good use once again.

Don’t be Afraid to Tell the Truth- People seem to associate the words ‘I don’t know’ with being stupid. Admitting you don’t know something isn’t stupid, you’re just stating your ignorance. Ignorance can be fixed with a little dose of education. Stupidity, on the other hand, is much harder to fix. Don’t be stupid and try to wing yourself through a question you absolutely don’t know on your technical interview. The person interviewing you will smell the bull you’re trying to shovel. Be honest when confronted with a question you honestly can’t answer. You’ll be doing yourself a favor by coming clean and the interviewer will see that you’re honest even in a stressful situation.

Don’t Fear the Reaper– That person sitting across from you isn’t out to get you. Unless you blatantly offended him or her they are probably happy to be talking to you. Don’t get defensive or personal in this situation. The questions may be tough but don’t throw a temper tantrum during your technical interview. Be like Fonzie and keep your cool. Also try not to hit on them either. May not work out to your advantage.

Rests, Eat Right, Blah Blah- You’ve probably heard the propaganda about getting enough sleep and eating well before a big test years prior to reading this article. Well there’s a reason for that and it’s called it works. A full night’s rest and a hearty meal can improve brain functions yadda yadda yadda. You know all about it so just do it for that upcoming technical interview.

A technical interview may sound stressful but it’s just one more hoop to jump through on your way to that future job. Really the most important thing is to relax and keep your cool. Being calm under pressure is a great sign you can deal with sticky situations and that you can work when the going gets tough. Just relax and you’re already on your way to pass that technical interview.

The ability to build resume hype is becoming more and more important in a crowded job market. Although that simple sheet of paper may not seem like it needs it, a lot of thought goes into how to build resume success that pays dividends to you. Most importantly it requires careful deliberation and a calculated strategy to milk each and every morsel of potential from yourself. Beyond just thinking of how to build resume hype for yourself, ponder ways to expose and market your resume using powerful cover letters and digital means to promote yourself to potential employers.

The way you build resume hype and construct a resume often says a lot about who you are. If you lay yours out in a nice concise way then you are clearly an organized person. If you struggle to organize it and ultimatley needs an appendix to sort out then you may be a little organizationally challenged. If your resume is written on the back of a Denny’s menu then, well, that’s better left unsaid and you should rightfully fear that you might not have the ability to build resume success.

Nevertheless, build resume success by crafting a resume that plays to your strengths while at the same time minimizing weaknesses. If you did a load of volunteer work then include that. Extracurricular activities demonstrate that you have personal initiative and a drive to serve. DO NOT put community service work that was done as part of some legal misconduct. Saying you washed trucks at the fire station for a summer because you got caught drinking and driving when you were sixteen is not a badge of pride and is not something to build resume hype with.

Furthermore, as you build resume success, evaluate your work and educational experiences. Do they depress you? Thought you’d accomplish more during your span of time? Don’t fret. Spin yourself so it appears you were a bit productive with your time. Recall any outstanding achievements and list them as you build resume hype. It may seem insignificant, but if it appears relevant, employee of the month, dean’s list, etc, then it may be just enough to elevate your application a bit higher in the stack.

All this know-how on how to build resume success is great but hyping yourself is another effective strategy for competing in a crowded marketplace. Don’t think of this as the hype involving radio announcements and airplanes flying banners with your name on it. This type of hype comes through professional presentation and taking advantage of online jobsites, Monster.com for example, and job networks, Linkedin as another example. Utilizing these sites allows you unprecedented access to employers. Don’t screw it up. Put some production value into your online presence. Spiff up your online job profile. Provide good work samples if you can. If not, then go all out in making it appear you actually want a job. Getting a Linkedin and having it sit there isn’t going to drum up any support for you.

Hyping yourself really depends on your field. If you’re into film then make a short clip about yourself. Just don’t go overboard like that one guy on YouTube. Nevertheless, craft a resume that suits you and your strengths. Build resume hype any which way you can to generate buzz about yourself.

Are you finally sitting down to write a resume? Should be easy right? You’re smart, dedicated and have the motivation to put yourself out there no doubt. You have all this going for you but you’re still stumped on how to write the darn thing. Guess you didn’t realize getting ready to write a resume could be such a massive headache. It is hard but it isn’t impossible. Just relax and read three three unconventional approaches for writing a resume that might shake a few things loose.

Think Like an Employee– When you start to write a resume a good put yourself into worker mode. Take a step back from being the eager job seeker for a moment. That means to switch up your mindset and tackle writing this resume as an insider rather than an outsider. Write your resume like you’re already hired. Use words that are relevant to your potential position when you write a resume. Include prior occupations that make it seem you’re on a logical progression to get this job. Look at your prospective position and think what you need to do AT the job. Write a resume that gives the impression you already work there by doing a little research that indicates you know exactly what is needed for this job.

What does the Boss want – As you begin to write a resume remember that there’s going to be a boss man somewhere reading over it. Make sure the language used and the attributes listed are actually something you want your possible future boss to know. Being beer pong champion of your frat doesn’t cut it. No matter where you go there’s going to be somewhere bigger than you making sure you’re not taking two hour lunches or hiding in the bathroom. Unless you work for yourself. But then why even write a resume to yourself. If you’re doing that then you might have bigger issues than how to write a resume.

Stand Apart from the Crowd– This was slightly touched upon in the first tip but standing out is essential in a crowded marketplace. No, do not write a resume on pink scented paper. Instead, find unique ways of talking about yourself. Spin yourself when you write a resume. Those seemingly minor but relevant extracurricular activities may be just the trick you need. This doesn’t mean lie. Saying you’re a Harvard trained lawyer when your diploma looks like it was made from a Burger King Kid’s menu is a quick trip to termination town.

There you go. Now that you brought in your chair from the yard settle down and unwind. Write a resume that speaks about you in a professional way that isn’t a dry dreary affair. Focus on what you’ve learned to write a resume and you’ll get that great job you deserve.

There are several do’s and don’ts in the mastery of answers to tough interview questions. Be open, but not too open. Be honest, but not too honest, etc. Of course for some, it’s not that easy. Here are 5 real life funniest answers to tough interview questions of all time:

According to Bettina Seidman, a career management coach for Seidbet Associates, one of the funniest answers to tough interview questions was she was once told by a candidate that the real reason she wanted the position was because it was close to Bloomingdales.

This is your opportunity to give a brief rundown of your job qualifications. The key here is brevity — similar to what we suggest in our resume template. Anyone that wants to know your life story can wait for your autobiography to come out. When it comes to giving answers to tough interview questions, give a rundown of your education, job history, and experience. That’s it.

One executive recruiter at Hurwitz Strategic Staffing said he was once told, “I decided to quit. I had an affair with a co-worker and when we broke up there was too much tension in the office.”

Honesty isn’t always the best policy (I’m sorry Grandma). It’s best to stay in a positive light on this one. Something like “My last position wasn’t the best fit for me creatively and I’m hoping that this position will allow me to put my best foot forward.” might be a better option. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to get the job back. When that happens, the best thing you can do is start sending out resumes that get responses from employers.

Funniest Answers to Tough Interview Questions #3 – Where do you see yourself in the future?

One marketing associate at Eastern Michigan University said that one of the funniest answers to tough interview questions he’s ever heard was, “My main goal is to be a rock star; this is more of a backup plan.”

The key here is to be realistic. You’re not going to become president of the United States within five years. It’s important to project yourself up the ladder within reason.

Greg Palomino of CRE8AD8 Advertising said that one of the funniest answers to tough interview questions he’s ever heard was, “I like to date young ones, is that bad?”

Though complete honesty might not be the right way to go, giving the old “I work too hard” is just as meaningless. It’s important to be within reason. Are you looking to work on your public speaking? Any computer programs you’ve wanted to learn? This is your chance to show that you’re willing to grow as an employee.

According to one Miller-Merrell hiring manager one candidate actually answered this question with a little something extra, “I had a candidate come into my office with her child and proceed to breastfeed her baby boy during the interview. There was no acknowledgment or mention from the woman I was interviewing about the baby or him eating.”

I suppose it goes without saying that having a baby attached to your boob when giving your answers to tough interview questions is probably not the best approach. Neither is sending out resumes that aren’t designed to generate responses from employers. However, this is your opportunity to show that you are not afraid to ask for feedback from your colleagues.

From closet rock stars to unintended peep shows, more is not better. Full disclosure is not the best way to go in an interview, but there are several answers to tough interview questions that are not only honest, but will show you in a good light.

What’s the secret to having the best resume out there? What does it take to differentiate yours as the best resume around from the countless masses? Attaching a hundred dollar bill seems to be the obvious answer. Offering up a little money on the side is a sure way to grease your way to a surefire job, it may even be the best resume available. However, in this day and age, who has spare Benjamins lying around their crib? Surely those seeking jobs don’t. Instead, consider this list of six potent hacks for crafting the best resume. Each hack, working in tandem, may be that irresistible force to help budge the immoveable object of picky employers.

1) Know Your Audience – As simple as it sounds, knowing who you’re submitting to is tremendously essential in creating the best resume around. If you’re applying to be a text book sales person at Scholastic Inc. don’t say reading is for losers. If you’re looking to be the next production assistant on a children’s TV show, refrain from using an email address like bongmaster6969@imanidiot.com. Tailor your resume to suit the company you’re applying to and make it the best resume you can.

2) Be Sure to Research Your Intended Employer – This one goes without saying in making the best resume. Make sure who you’re applying to is who you think it is. In many instances a simple letter change or flip alters who you’re applying to. If you’re blindly dropping your best resume online like spam, be careful. A quirky letter variation can turn a Fortune 500 into a porn site.

3) Go Digital – Having the best resume is just the gateway drug to the larger world of you. Provide links to social sites that showcase skills, traits and work employers would be interested in seeing. However, this can ruin your best resume if you don’t…

4) Clean Up Your Image – Letting employers view your online presence is a double edge sword. All those Facebook pictures of kegstands don’t play well with potential interviewers. Ditch the spring break 2007 debauchery if you intend to nab a professional gig. The same applies to the best resume. Remove references to your time at Burger World as a “Custodial Services Engineer” if you aspire to white collar dolla, dolla, bill ya’ll.

5) Provide Only Relevant Information – No one cares you were Prom King in high school. If that’s on your best resume then no wonder you’re stuck in the parent’s basement. Never the less, applicants often crash and burn when it comes to listing personal attributes. List skills and activities that would appeal to the people signing your paycheck, such as being disciplined, efficient and good at meeting deadlines. The same axiom applies to being overconfident. Being a “badass” doesn’t impress a future boss.

6) Grow Up – If you want to be a professional then look it with your best resume. Submit a resume that isn’t written on the back of a Denny’s menu. As mentioned before, providing a contact email like cutieprincesswink12@juvenile.com was fun in middle school, but doesn’t have the same luster in today’s workplace. Develop a mature persona with a proper grownup email and the best resume formatting you can imagine.

While not an exhaustive list, these six best resume hacks are definitely a starting point on your way to the best resume possible.

If you’ve been honing your job interview techniques, you’ve no doubt been perusing all the tips and tricks the internet may offer. There are so many tips out there it’s hard to differentiate fact from fiction. There are several misconceptions about interviewing than you might think. Perhaps you‘ve prepped your answers to the hundred most popular interview questions ahead of time, but before you go negotiating your salary just yet, you may want to consider this list of 4 tips you think you know about job interview techniques but don’t:

1. Ask a lot of questions at the end.

According to job experts, good job interview techniques include the importance in asking questions at the end of the interview. Having a laundry list of questions at the end seems rehearsed and inorganic. If questions come up during the interview, ask them. Engaging the interviewer proves that you’re paying attention. According to Careerbuilder.com’s annual survey of key interview mistakes, 29% said that not asking interesting questions was the worst offense. The key here is quality, not quantity. Preparing a list of questions ahead of time is one of the most important job interview techniques out there, and should prove that you’ve done research on the company. If you haven’t prepped a list of questions (naughty!) don’t just ask questions for the sake of asking questions.

2. Be upfront about your salary requirements.

Salary – the elephant in the room. Salary is going to come up sooner or later, might as well get it out of the way from the start, right? Wrong. Not only can mentioning salary requirements up front be presumptuous, you also run the risk of being low balled. A good rule of thumb when it comes to job interview techniques is to let the hiring manager do the talking about money first. According to the bestselling guide, 10 Minute Guide to Job Interviews by Dana Morgan, “He who speaks first loses.” If it can be avoided, let the other guy do the talking.

3. Never mention the bad stuff.

It’s important to highlight your best qualities and downplay your weaknesses, but be honest. Expert job interview techniques require that you stay positive, but lying about why you were let go from your last job or implying that you have no flaws is a mistake. Everyone has weaknesses, but they can be turned into positives. If you and your last company weren’t a good fit, mention what you learned from it. If you need to work on your computer skills, show your interviewer that you can take the initiative to go to a workshop. There are tons of job interview techniques out there, but positivity is key.

4. Be charming.

According to Careerbuilder.com’s survey, the 48% of interviewers felt that the one of the worst possible job interview techniques is appearing too cocky. Common job interview techniques require portraying confidence, but there’s a line. Too much charm comes off as arrogant, not to mention kind of creepy. Remember, this is an interview, not a date.

From the litany of job interview techniques out there, misconceptions are bound to come about. After all your research, you may think that you know everything there is to know. You may think you know everything there is to know about job interview techniques, but be careful – some tips are actually tricks in sheep’s clothing.

Finding it hard to get that second interview despite reading all the interview tips out there? Perhaps your body is communicating more than you intended. A study done at UCLA predicted that up to 93% of communication’s effectiveness was determined by non-verbal communication. Take a look at these secret interview tips for the best way to use body language to nail your next meeting:

1. Mirroring –

Remember that scene from I Love Lucy where Lucy is mimicking all of Harpo Marx’ movements? Okay, so you don’t need to be that literal, but, according to a 2009 study by Nicolas Guéguen, a professor at the University of South Brittany in France, salespeople that echoed gestures were able to secure better deals than their counterparts. The best interview tips here are to remain subtle. If your interviewer touches her hair with her left hand, use your left and to push up your glasses.

2. Face Maps –

Just like pictures, faces can tell a story. Fine lines and wrinkles can give away default emotions. Crows feet can indicate smiling, while deep forehead creases can indicate a furled brow. How can you use this for your bag of interview tips? These delicate signs can help you read your interviewer. If they seem like a worrier, you should lay off the jokes.

3. Tells –

Poker players know this is one of the best interview tips around. Most people, though often unaware, give away simple gestures that betray when they are lying or not. While this best works with people you know well, you can note that most people touch their lips or nose when lying. Be aware of touching your face during an interview so you don’t accidentally appear dishonest.
4. Comfort level –

This is actually one of many interview tips taught to us by our mothers long ago: stop fidgeting! Constantly crossing and uncrossing legs can look uncomfortable and keeping your arms folded can appear defensive. One of the many smart interview tips here is to dress comfortably (and professionally). You have more important things to remember, you don’t need to worry about your shoes pinching.

5. Cloning –

No, this does not mean dressing up in a sequin jumpsuit if you discover your interview is a big Elvis fan. One of the best (and worst) indications of this is hairstyles. This can be amongst the great interview tips, or be one of the worst interview tragedies. Walking into an interview with Jennifer Aniston’s newest haircut can totally sell you as a confident woman. Walking into an interview with Jennifer Aniston’s hair circa the first season of Friends can make you seem dated. This is one of the more daring interview tips out there. Utilize at your own risk.

These subtle interview tips could be exactly what you need to push your interview to the next level. Be aware of your posture and gestures. Don’t let your body tell a story that you don’t want to tell. The key here is subtlety. If used properly, body language can be one of the best interview tips you can possibly pick up.

Writing a cover letter can be extremely tricky. It’s your one opportunity to tell your potential employer what they can’t know from your resume. It’s your chance to show off your personality. Writing a cover letter may seem fairly straight forward, but there are definitely some hidden pitfalls you must look out for.

Here are 5 common misconceptions about writing a cover letter:

1. It’s good to have a standard cover letter on file.

Wrong! The key to writing a cover letter is customization. Doing a little research to avoid using “To Whom It May Concern” as your opener goes a long way. Cut and paste cover letters can be spotted a mile away. Make sure your skills match the job description. If you’re applying to be a bank teller, they don’t really care that you’re SCUBA certified. It is your responsibility to connect the dots between your skills and the job requirements

2. More is better.

So untrue! More is simply more. According to Louise Kursmark, a certified professional résumé writer and author of 30-Minute Résumé Makeover, if you’re lucky enough to have your resume and cover letter read by an actual human being, they dedicate less than 10 seconds to reading them. 10 seconds. That’s not a lot of time to read your autobiography. When writing a cover letter, highlight your top skills, don’t create a laundry list of every single thing you’ve done. Again, the key to writing a cover letter here is customization.

3. Repeating your resume.

Danger! Assume that the recruiter is literate enough to have read your resume. Writing a cover letter should be your opportunity to sell yourself, not to explain everything that was on your resume. This is your chance to include things that didn’t fall into the specific categories of : Objective, Job History, Education, and Skills. Writing a cover letter is also your chance for the recruiter to see your personality and see if you fit the job requirements.

4. Just give them a taste.

False! Teasing works for strippers, not for job seekers. When writing a cover letter, using bold stokes to vague ideas to describe yourself wastes time. Be specific, and be succinct. Recruiters don’t want to hear that you’re a highly motivated individual. They want to hear that you single handedly organized a company-wide bake sale to help orphaned kittens.

5. Bolder is better.

Nope! Being bold when writing a cover letter may help you stand out in a crowd, but not in a good way. Remember, attempts at humor don’t always come off as intended when in writing (please see the kitten joke above). Also, too much flash not only makes you seem insincere, but it also makes you seem presumptuous. You can be friendly, but always be polite. Stand out because of your love for kittens, not because of your bad kitten jokes.

Avoid the common pitfalls when writing a cover letter. Customize, be succinct, be specific, and be polite. They are simple rules but bad a bad cover letter can be what keeps you from getting those call backs. Writing a cover letter is your chance to set yourself above the hordes of applicants, make yourself shine.

Any nerd in high school can tell you that wearing or saying the wrong thing can get you beat up, but who knew the same rules applied to preparing for an interview? The truth of the matter is, the job market is a lot like the school playground – you are judged by your appearance. Non-verbal cues are extremely important. It might not be right, but it’s true.

Before you begin preparing for an interview take a look at these shockingly evil things about body language you need to know:

1. Body form

It may not be politically correct to judge people based on physical appearance, but that doesn’t keep it from happening. Consciously and not, people judge others based on the shape and condition of their bodies. This can range from assuming that a person of fair skin tone doesn’t get out much or assuming that an overweight person is lazy. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. How can this be avoided when preparing for an interview? The key to preparing for an interview here is to make sure you are comfortable in your appearance. Whether is wearing something that fits properly or dressing appropriate for your age, discomfort will be noticed above all else. Comfort, on the other hand, can portray confidence.

2. Facial Maps

Every picture tells a story. As it turns out, so do wrinkles. Anything from frown lines to crows feet can show evidence of default facial expressions. Thin lines above the lip can suggest often pursed lips and deep creases in the forehead can suggest a worried expression. Of course, age and sun exposure have something to do with it as well. Keep a trained eye when preparing for an interview. You might want to keep your jokes to yourself if you see no evidence of laugh lines on your interviewer’s face.

3. Selective Perception

Hand in hand with physical form, is selective perception. According to a study done for the University of Virginia published in the Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology in 2004, perception of an event can differ in participants of the study depending on expectation of said event. Simply put, humans filter information to suit their own needs. For instance, people wearing a lab coat and a stethoscope are assumed to be doctors. What does this mean for you preparing for an interview? Next time you’re preparing for an interview, ditch the contact lenses, as apparently those that wear glasses are assumed to be smarter.

4. Body signs

Too much partying when you should have been preparing for an interview? Look for the Visene stat. Interviewers are keen on noticing all body signs. Excessive sweating, bags under the eyes, and even bitten finger nails can all be construed as negative signs. Make sure you’ve had a decent night’s sleep and are polished from head to toe when preparing for an interview. The smallest thing can put you over the edge or knock you out of the ball park when preparing for an interview.

Never getting that second interview? Perhaps your saying more that you actually think. Often times it’s what we don’t say that communicates volumes. Make certain that you are aware of the signals you might be accidentally giving off. Rehearse with a friend and ask them to notice any non-verbal cues that may be betraying you. The more aware you are of your body language when preparing for an interview, the more you’ll be able to control them.

You’ve managed to get score your second interview. Bravo. Pen, check. Extra copies of your resume, check. Hard copy of your references, check. Outfit…crap. It happens time and time again – the second interview fashion faux pas. It’s as if like interviewees are lulled into a false sense of security and feel they can get away with a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.

Here are the four top fashion mistakes made on the second interview:

1. Wearing the exact same thing to the second interview.

I get it, you’ve already worn the only suit that you own. Your credit card is maxed out so a new purchase is out of the question. Don’t worry, you don’t have to sell your kidney just yet. This may be the time to call in that favor from that friend for the thing you did for them that one time. Sizes vary, so I suggest making friends with at least one person that’s your size. As for the friendless, skillfully chosen accessories can help freshen up an old look. Also, try wearing a contrasting color shirt from the last time to play down the rerun. Hint: Studies have shown that navy blue inspires confidence.

2. Wearing uncomfortable shoes to the second interview.

Nothing is more distracting than mind numbing pain (well, perhaps a shirtless Johnny Depp). Anything that distracts you from your interview is a definite no no. If you’re worried about wearing the same shoes as on the first interview, don’t be. A shoe is a shoe, especially in dark colors. Most importantly about second interview attire: never, and I repeat, never break in a pair of shoes at an interview, especially the second one. You’ve already got enough on your plate to risk slipping, tripping, or the “I’m breaking in these shoes” dance. The second interview is not the time to bust out your new Manolos.

3. Wearing too many accessories to the second interview.

Accessories can add a nice touch to a boring suit. A slick tie, a neatly folded handkerchief, a cute necklace or a pretty scarf — all are good choices, but not all at once. Just because you got to round two, it doesn’t mean you’re now allowed to bust out your inner Lady Gaga. Keep it simple. You do not want your potential boss to be hypnotized by your rave shirt instead of listening to the story about you rescuing that puppy from a burning building.

4. Wearing perfume to the second interview.

This one may seem odd, because TV makes us believe that smelling nice is a good thing (and TV would never lie to me). Unfortunately, a few individuals can have severe reactions to even the most subtle of smells. It may seem more important to smell nice, but why risk encountering the one person on the planet that goes into convulsions from your CKOne.

Getting to that second interview is a major accomplishment, but it doesn’t mean you get to slack off now. The key is to keep it simple, keep it professional, and keep it comfortable. Armed with these simple rules, you’re bound to make a good impression on that second interview – well, you’ll at least look good trying!

Don’t let your recent transformation into a zombie deter you from finding the best interview tips out there. You may be undead, but you still have to put your best foot forward – assuming it’s still attached, of course.

Here are three essential interview tips that will secure your place in the world of the employed undead.

Interview tip #1 – Be eloquent. The best interview tips can turn difficulties into opportunities.

This could be tricky considering you’re now likely limited to a series of moans and grunts – not to mention you could possibly be lacking lips. However, critically acclaimed job hunter manual What Color is Your Parachute? advises that all interview answers should be kept under two minutes. Establishing a temperate tone will allow you to enunciate your answers, however brief, within that given time.

Interview tip #2 – Look your best. This is one of many tried and true interview tips that goes for the living as well as the living dead.

Fallen limbs are no excuse for an unkempt appearance. Make sure any and all signs of your previous human victims have been wiped off your face. Wash what is left of your clothes, especially if you have recently emerged from your grave. Simply because your clothes are torn and tattered doesn’t mean you can’t iron them. Also, I’m afraid there is no way to tip toe around this. You smell. Yes, it’s you. Contrary to one of the strict interview tips for the living, you should invest in a decent cologne or perfume to help deter the stench of your rotting flesh. Your interviewer will thank you.

Interview tip #3 – Don’t eat your interviewer’s brains. Of all interview tips, this is one to live…um, live dead…by.

Not only can this get messy, but it’s also simply bad form. Plan ahead. Make sure you’ve filled up on brains prior to the interview to avoid any temptations. If the hiring manager was kind enough not to dwell on the lack of your left eyeball, the least you can do is be polite enough to keep his or her brains off the menu.

Hopefully, these simple interview tips can help ease your adjustment to Zombidom. Just because you’re now a zombie, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have skills to offer a potential employer. Remember these simple interview tips: if you communicate and present yourself well, and of course, avoid eating anyone, employment is sure to soon follow. These interview tips are simply to die for, well, I guess you already did that.

Women’s magazines offer tips on everything from the latest fashion to better sex, but as it turns out, our favorite dating tips can just as easily be vital interview tips.

Anyone that has ever been on a blind date can tell you that a job interview can be just as excruciating. Whether it’s a first date or a first interview, it all comes down to the same thing – selling yourself. Some of the best interview tips have been disguised as dating advice all along.

Here are six common dating tips that double as crucial interview tips as well:

1. Put On A Happy Face

The first of these key interview tips is to keep it light. Just as dates don’t need to know that your roommate’s cousin’s neighbor’s puppy was run over by a truck, an interviewer doesn’t need to hear another person complaining about today’s job market. Maintaining a positive attitude is key. Not only is it contagious, turning negatives into positives can impress employers.

2. Kenny Rogers on Dating and Interview Tips?

As the man said, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em.” Over-sharing can be as disastrous in interviewing as it is in dating. No one needs to know that you were voted most likely to commit a felony in high school. Maintaining some mystery can be enticing. These interview tips apply to Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In as well. Take a good look at your profile and remove anything you wouldn’t want your potential boss/mate knowing. Remember, HR has internet access too.

3. Don’t Talk Smack About Your Ex

Not often seen amongst common interview tips is the rule of “no badmouthing.” If you speak poorly about an old boss, what are you potentially going to say about them? A date might not particularly want to know why things didn’t work out with your ex, but a hiring manager does. Continuously dissing old bosses is not only is it tacky, but it sets up expectations that are impossible to live up to.

4. People Judge Books by Their Covers, Especially from the Back

First impressions are crucial, so how you present yourself is important. One of the best interview tips I can offer here is research. Have an idea of what people will be wearing where you’re going. Just as you don’t want to wear a cocktail dress to a baseball game, you don’t want to wear jeans to an interview with the Senior Vice President of a corporation. Like all interview tips, err on the conservative side on this one. Short skirts may get you attention, but they come with their fair share of preconceived notions.

5. Don’t Count Your Weasels Before They’ve Popped

Speaking as if you’ve already got the job is about as attractive as talking about marriage on the first date. Even if things are going well, don’t be presumptuous. Just as in dating, interviews are about getting to know each other – slowly. Too much too soon is the fastest way to put yourself in the crazy column.

6. There Is No Such Thing As a Catalog

The last of our interview tips: neither relationships nor jobs are just a few clicks away. I know what you’re thinking, “But my roommate’s cousin’s neighbor (not the one with the puppy) found her boyfriend online!” Eharmony claims that it is responsible for only 2% of marriages in the United States. As for job hunting, a study done by CareerXroads found that under 23% of jobs were found through sites such as Monster, Hotjobs, and Careerbuilder. Though these numbers are growing, nothing beats actually putting yourself out there in the real world.

Who knew that interview tips were masquerading around as dating tips all this time? Whether you’re looking for Mr. Right or your next employer, it basically boils down to the same thing — putting yourself out there in the best light possible. When it comes to dating or interviewing always remember, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Now, if only dieting tips could double for interview tips this well.

Many people rely on their resume alone to gain an employer’s interest and fail to recognize the power of a cover letter cv being attached to their resume. No matter how rockin’ your resume might be, employers get a ton of resumes for most positions they have available. Why are you so special? Well, if you have the right cover letter cv with your resume, you’ll be telling them why!

You can find lots of cover letter cv templates on the internet, but they’re all basically telling you what to do in order to write a cover letter cv that will score you an interview. A lot of those tips are complete bs though.

The following are the 5 biggest myths regarding the cover letter cv that any serious job seeker should avoid.

Unless, of course, your goal is to look like a boring granny. No offense to those older job seekers, of course.

But no matter what your age, you need to be able to show off your sensational personality and explain through a cover letter cv why you are better for the job than anyone else.

Myth #1: A cover letter cv should be short and simple. Of course you don’t want to give your entire life story in a cover letter cv. You’re just trying to highlight those special qualities that you possess that an employer can’t tell just from browsing over your resume, but keeping it too short makes you pretty darn boring. Make sure that your cover letter cv is about 3 paragraphs, each being about 3 or 4 sentences long. You don’t want to ramble on of course, but your cover letter cv can’t be too short either because you don’t want it to look like you used a template to write it… even if you did!

Myth #2: Point out key features of your resume on your cover letter cv. Um, what for? Your resume is to follow, which is why you don’t want to just make your cover letter cv about summarizing your resume. Tell the employer things that they can’t tell from your resume, such as how you heard about the position, why you have an interest in it, and why you think you’re a highly qualified choice for the job. Tell them something they don’t know! Of course they don’t need to know about your brief experimentation with the same sex in college- you don’t need to go that far back or get into that much detail, but include some personal tidbits about you on your cover letter cv that an outsider can’t see on your resume.

Myth #3: Never address a cover letter cv with “To Whom It May Concern….” Ok, so you’re supposed to include a cover letter any time you submit a resume but you’re not allowed to address it to “Whom It May Concern?” What about those instances where jobs are posted without a contact person or for a confidential company? Are you just supposed to leave it blank? Address it to “Sir or Madaam?” Sure, some might think that sounds professional, but this isn’t the 16th century, folks. “To Whom It May Concern” on a cover letter cv for a position that doesn’t have any details on who you’re writing to is absolutely fine. Of course, if you’re able to personalize your greeting, that’s nice and you should definitely do it, but if not, don’t worry too much about it because it’s such a minor detail!

Myth #4: Make sure you mention how you’ll follow up with the employer after they receive your resume and cover letter cv. Do you know how to call them? If so, you can try… but chances are, most employers don’t like to be contacted once you’ve sent in your resume and cover letter. That’s why you have to make sure that your cover letter cv and resume are both top notch. You shouldn’t have to call them to follow up- they should be dying to call you! Saying something like “I am looking forward to hearing from you soon,” is just fine. You don’t want to be too stalkerish. No one wants to hire a professional nagger. Unless, of course, that’s what the job entails.

Myth #5: Stick to only vital information directly related to the job you’re applying for on your cover letter cv. Of course you don’t want to go too off topic, but you need to give your cover letter cv some flavor. If you’re applying for a job in accounting, it’s ok to mention that you’re not only skilled in your trade and great with numbers but also great with people as well. Sometimes mentioning little positive qualities that you possess that you wouldn’t normally think are pertinent to the job are actually the things that catch an employer’s eye. So go for it, and include personal qualities about yourself that you think might win them over on your cover letter cv, even if they’re not directly related to the job.

The most important things to remember when writing a professional yet eye catching cover letter cv is to make sure it’s true to who you are and what you’re all about, while demonstrating what a strong competitor you are to the employer.

Don’t let all of the myths out there stop you from writing a cover letter cv that is personalized and reflective of your individuality.

Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about this cover letter cv article!

Unfortunately, being jobless is still a reality for over 14.9 million Americans. The number of unemployed and underemployed keeps fluctuating from month to month, but it should help some people rest easy to know that as the job growth keeps fluctuating, some of the statistics have been improving. For instance, the average weekly earnings for the employed have gone up by 5 cents on average per person. Sure, this doesn’t sound like a whole lot but when you take into account that the employment rate is probably at least ten times what the unemployment rate is, that sounds like a whole lotta money!

So, although the unemployment rate went back up a little bit in August from what it was in July, this increase in median pay as well as a decrease in the length of time people are having to remain on unemployment going on at the same time actually means that we’re doing a little better.

Confused yet? The facts demonstrate that the economy is still on shaky ground, however work seeking Americans are in luck because more jobs are slowly but surely becoming available to them. In the mean time, some people are having to simply settle for lesser paying jobs than what they’re used to or part time jobs instead of their full time careers. But don’t worry; we don’t all have to resort to selling ourselves on street corners just yet. As I said, the fluctuations and numbers are actually showing that the success in the job market is increasing. Don’t relax just yet though. There are still a lot of people looking for jobs and not enough jobs to go around.

What does that mean for you? As a job seeker, you need to make sure that you have not only a stand-out resume but a charming, one of a kind personality as well. You should have had plenty of time to brush up on those interview skills since the market is so competitive right now and you may have been looking for a job for a long time. So make no excuses- you should do everything you can to stand out in the crowd and prove that you have what it takes to out-work all of your competitors. You need to literally crush your competition (not like with a hammer or anything, maybe just some pointy heels?) and leave them wondering “why not me?”

You should never rely on your charm and good looks alone to get you a job, especially when you have over 14 million people to compete with. If you’re not getting any calls on your resume, it’s probably the same old resume that many of your competitors are sending in. Use your head and make sure that your resume not only showcases your individual talents but that it stands out among millions. Trust me, you can do it! You can personally contribute to the decline of the unemployment rate- no matter what area your talent lies in. So put yourself out there…. But don’t look just like everybody else or you’ll remain a statistic.

You’d think that by now you’d know what job interview answers not to give, but surprisingly I’ve heard that a lot of you are still out there making the same blunders you always have!

So, you may think that the following 5 job interview answers that you should NOT employ are common sense, but you really need to drill them into your head. I don’t want to have to tell you again! 😉

Avoid job interview answers that are too honest. If an employer asks you about why you left a previous position or why you want to leave your current one, you need to proceed with caution. You need to avoid job interview answers that make you sound negative or that put you in a negative light. This means no harping on how your old boss was a man-whore that hit on anything with legs or rode you till your knees bled (hopefully not literally!) Even if you despise your boss or where you worked, you have to act like you’re always positive in your job interview answers unless your goal is scaring away potential employers!

Avoid getting too specific in job interview answers. Of course I’m not telling you to act like an airhead that can’t keep their facts straight, but you should avoid citing specific people or events that took place where you last worked. It’s ok to say things like “we used to do something along those lines,” or “we had a similar procedure,” in job interview answers but a lot of companies want you to be confidential about their specific practices and especially employees. Don’t make your interviewer think that you have loose lips with your job interview answers.

Avoid negative statements in job interview answers- everything should be a positive. Of course this is common sense, but again, I don’t think I can say it enough. Job interview answers need to be upbeat and positive, never negative or depressing. You should show that even when faced with struggles and adversity, you’re able to remain, positive, upbeat and that you continue to do your best and work toward a common goal.

Avoid too much eye contact when answering questions. Preaching tons of eye contact is the norm when it comes to what to do when giving your best job interview answers, and it’s true that some eye contact can go a long way. If you don’t look an interviewer in the eye when you give your job interview answers you might end up looking more like a nervous criminal than a job candidate. Looking them in the eye a little bit conveys interest, honesty and integrity… but doing it too much by blatantly staring just says you’re kind of a weirdo.

Avoid too many hand gestures accompanying your job interview answers. Of course I don’t expect that you’re going to flip off your interviewer while you’re trying to dazzle them with your job interview answers… but I for one, like to talk with my hands. I’m not even aware of it most of the time but I’ve learned that I need to keep it under control, especially when I’m trying to come up with creative and original job interview answers because sometimes my hands tend to take on a life of their own. The best job interview answers come from the heart, which means that sometimes I’m moving my hands around like a crazed umpire at a baseball game. You might just end up freaking out your interviewer though if you’re doing this too much, so try to keep it under control!

Like I said, these tips to follow when you’re trying to give great job interview answers are pretty obvious and any fool should know to avoid them…. However, I’ve seen many that fail to! Make sure you keep these mishaps in mind so you don’t screw up your next job interview answers.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you think I forgot any job interview answers tips to avoid and let me know what you think of this article!

So you have the know how and the certifications to go with it to show off your awesome IT skills, but now you have to figure out how to master the dreaded technical interview process. Don’t fret; you are practically a genius since you tackled one of the most challenging career choices so a technical interview shouldn’t be anything but a walk in the park for you.

Of course you should be a little nervous… I mean it’s not just a regular interview. It’s a technical interview. What the hell does that mean anyways? It means you get to really show them what you can do and how much you know, that’s what!

It’s actually quite a shame that more companies don’t utilize the technical interview. I mean it really is a very telling way of determining whether or not someone is suitable for a job and possesses the right skills. There’s not really a way to bullshit your way through a technical interview because it’s designed to figure out what lies beneath the surface and show what you really can do. So what do you need to make sure you know before walking into a technical interview?

Don’t show up unprepared because you will be sure to regret it when someone who knew these 5 amazing facts walks away with the job instead!

Don’t go into a technical interview without brushing up on those public speaking skills! No, you’re most likely not going to have to present yourself to a room of people like an annoying salesman, but you are trying to sell yourself in a technical interview, just like as with any other. You need to be an articulate person demonstrating proper speech, great speaking and writing skills and show that you can give presentations to others when duty calls… no ums, ehs or ahems about it! Just remember, if you get nervous in front of crows it always helps to imagine that everyone watching you is naked…. But it could get a little awkward in the interview if it’s one on one if you’re imagining your potential future boss naked. Remember, you’re there to get a job, not star in your next porn flick.

Don’t be a sourpuss! When you’re preparing for a technical interview, your demeanor and friendliness are probably the last thing on your mind. But being easy to get along with and personable are skills that an interviewer is on the lookout for during a technical interview. You may be working with information technology, but you’re also going to be dealing with a lot of people too- from clients to co-workers, to people from all different levels of a company. Being too somber or antisocial is a big no no, so wipe that scowl off your face!

Know it all! Don’t become an expert in just one area. Microsoft isn’t the only computer brand out there and an employer will not be impressed during a technical interview if it’s all you know. You want to keep up with all of the latest trends and be aware of all that stuff they didn’t teach you in school because your interviewer during a technical interview isn’t going to be impressed if you can recite something you learned in a book to them. They want to hear that you have applied knowledge on a wide range of products. So even if you don’t have experience with it all, read up enough on it to pretend that you do!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Don’t lie! You shouldn’t lie on any interview but on a technical interview this is even more important. You really shouldn’t lie during a technical interview anyways because you’re going to look pretty darn stupid if you pretend to have knowledge of a product or program and then you get the job and you don’t know what you’re doing. Nice going, genius. If you’re going to say you know how to do something, make sure you really do. Sometimes an interviewer will give you more brownie points during a technical interview if you just admit that you don’t know how to do something- but you’re willing to learn, and fast!

Be confident, but not too confident! When you’re on a technical interview, it’s ok to toot your own horn a little. You’re up against a lot of competition these days so you need to show that you’re a smart, savvy know-it-all that is willing to go to the ends of the earth for this job. Please just make sure you have the skills to back it up. No one likes a cocky idiot who doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Hold your head high, answer questions with confidence (because you did study up for this humungous opportunity, of course) and take pride in your skills and what you have to offer. If you can’t appreciate the awesome skill set you have, no one else is going to either.

A technical interview doesn’t have to be a huge and stressful ordeal.

As long as you follow these lesser known tips you’ll be able to get through a technical interview without a hitch.

As you can see, preparing for a technical interview really just involves a lot of common sense and being as knowledgeable as possible.

Why not leave a comment to share one of your best technical interview tips or let me know what you thought of this article- Thanks a bunch and happy interviewing!

There are a lot of tips and tricks out there for a cover letter for resume. Some of them are great and will give you a fantastic cover letter for resume, but some are horrible tips that do nothing but destroy your cover letter and the entire concept.

Don’t be a follower- make sure you avoid these 5 big errors when writing your cover letter for resume… unless you want to look like a big loser and lose out on an exceptional job opportunity.

Including your salary history or salary requirements on a cover letter for resume is plain dumb. A lot of ads for jobs ask you to include a salary history or your salary requirements, but you should do this on a separate document, not on a cover letter for resume. If you include this info, all an employer is going to see when they look at your cover letter is dollar signs. They probably won’t even read your resume, so if you want to include a salary requirement on a cover letter, don’t even bother including your resume!

Clichés like “thinking outside the box,” “excellent written and verbal communication skills” and “an ability to multitask” should NEVER be present on a cover letter for resume!We’ve heard it all before… and so have employers. If you include common clichés such as these on a cover letter for resume, how much effort are you going to expel in your day to day tasks when you get the job? It’s easy to use other people’s ideas and words, but how about coming up with some creative ones of your own?

Don’t use a resume template to write a cover letter for resume. This just comes across as generic and unoriginal. Just as you shouldn’t use a standard boring template for your resume, you shouldn’t use one for the cover letter for resume either. Using a template means that there are several others out there that look or sound exactly the same as yours. How teenage girl of you- trying to be a part of the IN crowd!

Not including tidbits of information that are company specific is one of the biggest no-no’s when it comes to a cover letter for resume. I understand that the easy thing to do is to just use the same cover letter for resume for every job you’re applying for. You have to send out dozens of resumes to score a dream job a lot of the time, so trying to make each cover letter for resume unique and specifically tailored can be extremely time consuming. But it’s time well spent. Skipping this important step can be the reason an employer doesn’t call you. Remember you’ve got a lot of competition. I know you’re fabulous, but you’re not the most popular kid in class without showing a little school (or in this case, company) spirit!

Never, ever, ever pay for a cover letter for resume writing service! Ah, this would save you so much time and effort. But it’s just lazy. That’s great that you paid $50 for someone else to write you a stand-out cover letter but are you going to be able to ever produce anything like that yourself? What if it’s your superior writing skills that sparked an employer’s interest? Paying for someone else to write a cover letter for resume is just a false misrepresentation of who you are and it’s never a good idea. So don’t do it, unless your goal is to ultimately sabotage your resume.

Writing a cover letter for resume doesn’t have to be a pain in the butt.

And even if it is, it’s totally worth it to land a great job. Don’t fall victim to these cover letter destroyers and you’ll notice a lot more phone calls and interview offers coming your way.

Please leave a comment on this cover letter for resume article to share your thoughts!

Trying to creatively and intelligently answer job questions for interviews is tough, if not more tough than getting responses from your resume enough.

If you add into the mix that some of the people or job questions being used in the interview process may be out to purposely sabotage you, interviewing can be a really frightening process.

Of course, job questions for interviews and the interview process itself isn’t out to kill you or destroy your confidence and self esteem, but sometimes employers will use tactics or job questions that are meant to keep you on your toes and even conspire to make you screw up. This isn’t because they’re soulless lunatics, but rather because they want to know that you have what it takes to stand up against any odds and work your ass off. That’s why once you’ve figured out how to get better than average responses on your resume from employers, you need to get this next thing right.

So don’t let the following 5 job questions conspiracy theories prevent you from seeing through the bullshit and showing off what an awesome fit you are for the job.

1. Watch out for those job questions for interviews that start off with “Tell me About Yourself…”

It’s funny that so many of us still find ourselves baffled by this question.

Usually when job questions like these are thrown at you are all of those sordid secrets and details of your life that you’d rather they didn’t find out about come to mind. You know, like your huge porn collection or the fact that you have a thing for guys with tattoos or girls in S&M gear.

This is one of the most popular job questions asked by potential employers so don’t go in blindly. Practice what you’ll say, and leave those personal details out of it and just sell yourself and your amazing personality and job related skills.

2. Be prepared for the “weakness” job questions! It’s pretty much a given that you’re going to be asked the most popular job question in history at some point in your interview. Don’t let the “tell me what your greatest weakness is” job questions throw you for a loop.

You’re not an idiot (or are you?- if you don’t prepare for this question then you might as well be!) so you should figure out what you’re going to say before you’re even asked these job questions. And make sure you answer wisely. If you talk about how your weakness is staying organized, but then don’t mention that you have significantly improved upon that, you’re just telling the interviewer why not to hire you.

3. Look out for the job questions that have no right answers! We’ve all been there. You’re asked those job questions in an interview that make you say “huh?” that seem to have absolutely nothing to do with the job. A lot of these job questions are designed to figure out how quickly you think on your feet and some are even designed to test your character and values.

Don’t get daunted, that’s what they’re trying to do! Just answer the question the best you can…. And be as honest as possible without saying anything bad about yourself.

If the interviewer throws you off by asking what your favorite position is, don’t tell them it’s reverse cowgirl. That’s not what they’re talking about. It’s related to the job, silly!

4. Beware of the salary job questions… You think we’d all know by now that this question, while useful and necessary is just a tactic to eliminate anyone that is asking for too much. And if you ask for too little, you’re at risk of looking kind of lame too.

Make sure you’re prepared for these interview questions well in advance. You should research how much someone in a similar position with similar background and experience makes, and ask for something in that range. It’s actually best to aim a little higher than you expect. For example, if you’ve done your research and know you’re worth $35k with your background and experience, ask for $36-37k but make sure you mention that you’re willing to be flexible so you don’t let the salary job questions make or break your entire interview.

5. Above all, remember that the person interviewing you may not have the last word. You’re so focused on job questions, sometimes you don’t really pay attention to who the heck the person asking them is. Maybe they’re supposed to be your new boss if you get the job, maybe they’re a Human Resources or hiring manager or even just a recruiter.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell because I’m sure you’ve been on several interviews where the job questions are unorganized, unstructured and the interviewer doesn’t really seem to have a whole lot of experience interviewing people. This could mean that they’re inexperienced, unorganized… or just that they’re not very friendly or don’t really care. You do have to impress anyone that’s interviewing you with your answers to job questions, of course, but make sure that no matter what kind of vibe or impression you’re getting from your interviewer (whether they’re a cocky asshole or a clueless idiot or not!) you need to stand out enough in their minds for them to tell whoever is in charge that you’re worth another look… and another interview!

With all of these things working against you, it’s hard to believe that you can ever get through sticky job questions at all.

But it’s not impossible as long as you watch out for these common job questions and sabotages.

Are there any conspiracy theories employed by interviewers that I forgot to mentionhere? Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think or share your job questions conspiracy theories!

Writing a professional resume isn’t as difficult as most people think. There are tons of resources out there geared at helping you format a professional resume that works for you and lots of tips for how to polish it up to make it shine.

But when you think about it, researching how to write a professional resume just turns up a lot of the same old, same old BS. Seriously, how many times can you hear to “Keep it this long, Make it sound like this, Don’t Do This, Make Sure You Do That,” before your head just starts to hurt?

Creating a professional resume doesn’t have to be difficult, but you need to make sure you avoid those BS clichés that are all over the place because sometimes being afraid to be different or go against the grain can cost you the opportunity of a lifetime. Kind of like that time in high school or college when you didn’t ask that girl or guy out and then found out years later that they had a thing back then for you too.

Don’t have regrets- and don’t fall for BS professional resume tips that will prevent you from having a unique and personalized professional resume.

Here are some of the most common BS facts about writing a professional resume that you can choose to follow if you want… but you’ll probably reap more rewards if you don’t!

Don’t put a lot of different jobs on your resume- you need to show you’re specialized in a particular field. This is complete BS! Of course you don’t want to show that you switch jobs every three months (and hopefully you don’t because that’s a lot of BS on your part too!) but showing that you have a wide range of skills helps, not hurts you when it comes to building a professional resume. Who wants to hire someone who only knows how to do one thing?

Use an overly creative resume template. I’m going to be honest with you, here. Sometimes it really does pay to have a professional resume on an off-white colored paper or that uses a unique format. But other times, it’s complete BS to go “over the top” because an employer isn’t going to be impressed by how flashy your resume is. They care about what it says and what you have to offer while doing it in a classy yet professional way. How professional is it to have a hot pink resume anyway?

Cramming too many keywords throughout a professional resume. If you spend all of your time stuffing too many keywords into your resume, what kind of “meat” and overall quality are you contributing to your document? Remember, the “keywords” are for the computers and if you have too many, you’re going to alienate your human readers. If you don’t keep both of these things in mind, your document likely won’t get read, no matter how many pretty keywords you throw onto your professional resume.

Have a specific professional resume for specific types of jobs. Don’t use the same resume for every job. I know a lot of people might disagree that this professional resume tip is BS. But this is like saying don’t drive the same car every day- tailor it to where you’re going. Since we’re not all millionaires, this is obviously impossible for most and it’s really not necessary to change it up when you’re applying for different types of jobs with your professional resume either. You probably already have experience in a few different fields so the broader your resume is, the better. Just make sure it’s not too off track. I mean making your Circus Clown experience the focal point of your professional resume for an executive office job isn’t really a great idea.

These tips are some of the most common and most basic tips for professional resume writing… we’ve all probably heard them before and we’ve probably even used most of them… but do they actually work? Maybe. But they’re not essential to writing a professional resume that sells you to an employer.

Writing a professional resume is sometimes just about going with what feels right… so no matter what kind of BS tips you keep receiving, you ultimately should do whatever works best for you or suits your personality or particular skill set.

What do you think? Leave me a comment to tell me what you thought about this article or what you think is truly important in a professional resume!

So you made it to the second interview- but don’t stop holding your breath just yet. You can still screw it up. You’re probably not the only lucky candidate who gets to go on a second interview, so you have to make sure you don’t blow it.

You’ve probably studied up on all of that second interview advice for what to do, but what about what not to do?

Of course you want to try to stand out from the rest of the crowd vying for the job you want, but you can easily blow the second interview by being too weird or trying to be too different in your answers. Yes, employers are looking for someone uniquely creative and different, but they don’t want to employ a weirdo or a psychopath.

Here is some helpful second interview advice to avoid making yourself look like an idiot or crazy person so that you hopefully don’t frighten your interviewer too much.

Don’t lie! I know you want to sound intriguing and different, but seriously, when you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s not acceptable to say that you can’t answer the question because the information is “classified” because you worked for the CIA and you’re not allowed to talk about it. If you try any far fetched or even little white lies during a second interview, they’re sure to come back and bite you in the ass at a later date.

Don’t primp in public! Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who do stupid things when they think no one is looking. Picking teeth (and noses!), brushing hair, and smelling armpits are skills that you do not need to show off during a second interview. Do this stuff before you get there or excuse yourself to go to the restroom to make sure you look and smell your best.

Don’t get too personal! Whether it’s a first, second, or even a third interview, its never appropriate to reveal information about yourself that an employer does not need to know. It’s ok to mention your husband, wife or kids in passing, but there’s no need to talk about how your daughter is a lesbian or your son is a recovering drug addict. They don’t care about your personal life, in fact, they’d rather you kept it just that- personal.

Don’t badmouth a former employer! You may very well have quit your last job because your boss was a heartless wench, but you do not need to share this information on a second interview. People often get to a more comfortable level with an interviewer at a second interview, so they might feel that they’re “cool” enough with their interviewer to admit that they hated where they used to work but an employer is just going to look at you as negative and wonder if someday you’ll say the same thing about working for them.

Don’t relax too much! Of course you want to make sure you’re not nervous on a second interview because we all know how nerves can wreck a first (or second, in this case) impression, but you don’t want to act like you own the place. It’s not cool to ask your interviewer “what’s up with them” or to ask if you can take your shoes off because your feet are killing you from all that bar hopping the night before. You still need to maintain a professional demeanor.

Don’t be too honest! Of course the point of a second interview is usually to further explore what qualities you bring to the table and how you can benefit a company and it’s important that you’re honest and professional in your answers to their questions. You don’t want to be too honest though. You really are not a morning person and you can’t stand being told what to do? Please don’t tell them about it during your second interview. Or you can kiss that job opportunity bye-bye right then and there.

Yes, most of this second interview advice is common sense. But does everyone follow it? Hell no! Otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this article warning you not to do it.

You need to tread carefully on a second interview because usually the way you look, act and respond during a second interview is going to be what determines whether or not you get a job.

You need to make sure you avoid these more-common-than-you-think second interview no-no’s if you want to convince an employer that you belong in their company and not in a looney bin or behind bars.

Just because you’ve passed the first interview doesn’t mean you should neglect preparing yourself thoroughly for the second interview.

And if you learn more about gaining an unfair advantage over your competitors, watch my free “Resume Rebel” video series here: Professional Resume

When you’re looking for helpful job interview tips to help you land the job you desire, you’re probably not thinking about exercising. What the heck does exercise have to do with job interview tips? Or even getting employers to respond to your resume? Today I’m going to focus on the former.

Believe it or not, getting exercise before an important interview is actually one of the best job interview tips you’ll ever receive.

Not only does exercise help relieve tension (just like a good resume helps you get responses from employers), nervousness and help reduce stress but it also has scientifically proven benefits that can help you do well on any interview.

Don’t go too far and show up to an interview dripping sweat and reeking of B.O., of course, but exercise is a great way to get rid of those pre-interview jitters. In fact, many experts swear by exercise before an interview as one of the most fool proof interview tips of all time.

Why should you consider using exercise as one of your secret interview tips?

A Princeton (yes, those smarty pants intellectuals are always onto new and innovative methods of getting things done!) University study used rats to study the link between exercise and responses to stress. Since most men are a lot like rats in so many respects, it’s pretty clear that their findings can apply to humans as well.

What the study revealed is that the rats that exercised showed decreased stressors in their brain activity over those that did not. No wonder people that are in shape are so much happier than those that aren’t! And not only are they happier, but they’ll also probably master these sneaky interview tips to exercise before an important interview and score better jobs. Don’t let those skinny bitches steal the job you want. You, too, can use these exercise interview tips to be just as happy and worry free on the day of an important interview.

The research conducted isn’t just limited to this Princeton study. There are countless other studies that have shown that exercise increases mood, stamina, lowers stress levels and leads to overall well-being, including mental well-being. Some studies have shown that exercise increases serotonin, while others have shown that exercise positively affects the dopamine in the brain. Both of these are like “happy drugs” that occur naturally in our brains and who knew that by exercising to increase these chemicals you’ll be armed with one of the most effective interview tips ever. Who needs drugs when you can pump your brain full of buzz- inducing chemicals while you work on making your body look better at the same time?

Keep in mind that exercise interview tips like running, aerobic exercise, boxing, swimming, or any other form of activity that gets your heart racing aren’t one hit wonders. You can’t just work out on those days that you have interviews and expect a miracle to happen. You need to do regular workouts in general so you don’t shock your system and show up to an interview looking like you just got run over by a bus, but make sure you follow these interview tips and work out the same day of an interview as well.

So pick your poison- whether dancing, blading, boarding or even just walking is your thing, make sure you start doing it regularly and then put these exercise interview tips into action. I bet you’ll notice a difference the very first time you go on an interview after a workout.

And hey, if busting your ass in the gym or on the track isn’t really your thing, you could also just take up some really wild, crazy sex routine that lets you work that body. Who wouldn’t love to go crazy right before an interview? Your interviewer will wonder where your infectious smile is coming from, but it’ll be your little secret!

Exercising before an interview is one of the handiest proven interview tips you’ll ever receive, so put it in to action!

Interview practice might make you feel like you’re playing in the land of make-believe. You shouldn’t feel silly though because interview practice is smart, not silly.

Ask for the help of a good friend or family member and prepare (or better yet, have them prepare) a list of sample interview questions then sit down together and go through them. Interview practice will help you perfect your answers to basic interview questions and help you think of things before the interview so that you’re not sitting there trying to come up with good answers. Your friend might even have suggestions to help you improve your answers.

If you’re too shy to practice with someone in person or you don’t have anyone that will sit down with you, see if they’ll do it over the phone. Make interview practice into a fun game if you want. Ask your friend to track down the most unique interview questions they can, and you do the same. Whoever comes up with the wildest, wackiest interview questions wins! It also makes your interview practice lots of fun as you try to seriously answer some of the questions.

Interview practice is a great idea but make sure that you don’t overdo it to the extent that your answers sound rehearsed. If you sound like you’re reading off of a note card, the interviewer might ask you to return to the 8th grade science fair before trying to work for them. Robotic answers are just going to sound rehearsed, and although that’s what interview practice is, you don’t want to sound like you spent hours trying to get it right (even though you may have done just that!)

A method of interview practice that I think is a good idea is using a tape recorder. Print yourself a list of some common and uncommon interview questions and rattle them off to yourself. Try to speak exactly how you would if you were being asked that particular question in an interview. Then, play back your interview practice tape and see how you sound. You should be able to pinpoint things you need to work on. You can also build off of your answers to try to make them bigger and better. Just erase the tapes after you’re done. It would be a little embarrassing if you use that tape recorder at work your new job and someone stumbles upon it one day. You don’t want to acquire a new nick name or be the joke of the workplace.

When all else fails, do some interview practice in the mirror. Learn the way your facial expressions work when you speak. Make sure that you’re not making any funny faces and that you appear professional. This is one time when talking to your reflection will not make you certifiably insane. Just don’t go overboard. Remember you don’t have to look “cute” delivering your answers; the mirror is just there to help you with your interview practice.

No matter how you choose to do it, interview practice makes perfect so that you show up to that interview a confident, prepared person that has the verbal ability to communicate why you’re the best person for the job.

Most of us have been on enough interviews in our lives to know that a lot of the questions for interviews that you’re asked are pretty similar. That’s why you’re thrown for a loop when an employer asks some questions that you might not have heard before or that really require you to think on the spot.

Having to think on the spot usually means nervousness and sometimes difficulty putting what you really want to say into words. Sometimes going through some non-traditional questions for interviews prior to interviewing will help prepare you for these situations. Even if the interviewer doesn’t ask these exact questions, they still force you to think outside the box a little and should help you better articulate through any questions for interviews that come your way. They’ll also make you more prepared for the interview in general because you’re exploring more ideas and strengths that you possess and you might even be able to answer the simple questions with more description and conviction.

The following are some examples of non-traditional questions for interviews that you can walk yourself through to ensure that you don’t fumble, stumble or lose your grip in an interview.

What would you do if someone approached you and offered you something in return for doing something unethical?

This question may be worded differently, but either way the employer is testing your integrity and ethics. Questions for interviews like these are pretty common sense to answer. Of course you wouldn’t do anything unethical or anything that would jeopardize your job, right? Just come up with a unique way to put it- interviewers have most likely heard all the responses before.

Being creative with something like “I would tell them where they could stick it!” is nice, but don’t be quite this forward because it probably won’t come across as a professional response.

What kind of people would you rather not work with?

These types of questions for interviews are kind of tricky. If you list off a bunch of personalities that just don’t mesh well with yours, it’s going to sound like you’re difficult to get along with. Maybe you are, but pointing that out isn’t going to get you a job.

Rather than going that route, just say something about how you’ve encountered a bunch of different types of personalities in your experience or line of work and you have learned that even those that seem the most difficult still offer some sort of positive contribution to a team.

Basically, you want to say that you can work with anyone without being a kiss ass (and a liar) and saying “I work well with everyone!” Sure, because you’re Jesus.

If a project was returned to you because it needed editing or contained errors, how would you feel?

Honestly, you’d probably feel downright low, but saying that isn’t a way to impressively answer questions for interviews like this one. It’s best to say something about how you turn every negative into a positive or how you don’t mind “constructive criticism” (that’s a favorite term of employers’ because it shows that you’re able to own up to your mistakes and are willing to correct them) because it helps you build further upon your skills and grow within your field.

Basically with these non-traditional questions for interviews we’ve covered ethics, whether or not you can work well with others and whether or not you fold under critique. These are all key concerns of potential employers for obvious reasons.

If you can practice coming up with good answers to questions for interviews like these then you should have no problem being put on the spot and answering anything that you’re asked like you’re classy, sophisticated and smart. And you are, right? All you have to do now is prove it by having stellar answers to questions for interviews!

Hopefully your weakness isn’t answering interview questions! It shouldn’t be as long as you are prepared for the weakness interview question that most employers are going to ask you.

The number one thing to remember about the weakness interview question is that you don’t actually want to say that you’re bad at anything. You have to answer the question, of course, but the trick is to make it sound like you’re basically good at everything or that you turn the negative into positive.

You don’t want to sound conceited or overly confident (you are after all, either out of a job or looking for a change, so you shouldn’t be cocky!) but you do want to basically tell your interviewer that you’re a strong competitor and you don’t really have a lot of flaws when it comes to your work.

But how do you do this? There are a few things you can do to answer the weakness interview question wisely. One is to turn something that you are actually good at into a weakness. For instance, “I’m a perfectionist,” or “Sometimes I put too much pressure on myself,” just basically says that you have motivation and drive to keep moving forward and produce the best work possible. Great weakness interview question answers!

Another great weakness interview question maneuver is to talk about a weakness that you used to have and talk about how you overcame it. This kind of weakness interview question answer shows that you know how to recognize your flaws and then work to improve them. So use this to your advantage and tell the interviewer a short story about how you identified an issue within yourself at work and struggled with it, but then found a way to overcome it.

Don’t launch into a 15 minute speech or get too descriptive- this isn’t kindergarten story time. Just give a specific example such as how you were living under a pile of clutter on your desk but you came up with an awesome filing system to prevent that in the future. Just make sure your claim is fairly honest because you don’t want to say something used to be your weakness and then later on have it shown that it still is!

You can also use a personal weakness or something that’s not relevant to the job you’re after to answer the weakness interview question, but tread carefully if you go this route. Saying you’re a night owl is a good example. This says that you wish you could go to sleep at a reasonable hour so you can wake up simply chipper but it could say to the employer that you may oversleep sometimes too- it really depends on the interviewer and the way they think. Since you can’t see inside their heads, use your better judgment and only go this route if you think they’re laid back and can handle it.

The most important thing to remember about the weakness interview question is to be believable. Something like “I just work too darn hard,” is going to get an eye roll for sure. Anyone will see right through a BS line like that, so just be as honest and real as possible… without pointing out any major flaws, and you’ll wow them with your answer to the weakness interview question for sure!

Another result of living in a fast-paced crazy world is that employers often have so many people applying for jobs that they don’t have time to interview all of the ones they’re interested in. That’s when phone interview tips come in handy- often times, employers use phone interviews to weed out the undesirable candidates before they ask people to come in for an actual interview. Some companies swear by phone interviews alone, while other times phone interviews are necessary because you don’t live in the area.

So what are some of the best phone interview tips to help you get through the interview and either be asked to interview again, or better yet get the job?

Here are a few of the best phone interview tips to keep mind because you never know when the phone might ring and you might be asked some big important questions. Which brings me to the first of my phone interview tips…

– Always be prepared. Keep your resume handy because you never know when you might need to reference it or have an on the spot phone interview. A lot of times they’re scheduled, but when they’re not, you need to make sure you’re ready. Also keep a pad of paper and a pen nearby in case you need to jot notes down and make sure you have a quiet place to go take the call. Hearing kids screaming in the background is not something that will impress employers.

– Practice! A lot of people aren’t really comfortable on the phone. To avoid sounding awkward or nervous, one of the best phone interview tips is to practice with a friend or family member. Call your mom up, ask her to ask you some questions and try to answer them the same way you would if they were real. You can also record yourself a little if you like so you can hear what your voice sounds like and see if there’s anything you need to work on. If every other word is ummm, you might want to work on it.

– One of the most important phone interview tips is not to have anything in your mouth. You’re at home, so you might be eating, chewing gum, smoking, drinking your favorite beverage (hopefully it’s not vodka so your head is clear!)- Whatever it is, STOP. It’s ok to take a sip of water here or there but chewing or making any kind of strange sound (like exhaling smoke or clearing your throat excessively) is going to not only be distracting but unprofessional as well.

– One of the toughest phone interview tips to follow is not to interrupt the interviewer. Since you can’t see them, you may not be sure when they’re going to speak next. If you start to talk at the same time, shut your trap and let them talk. You don’t want to come across as rude. Also, speak slowly and clearly, and go ahead and pause a little if you need to think about an answer. Too much dead silence can be detrimental, but a little bit is ok as long as you’re thinking up a great answer.

– Keep your answers short. Just get right to the point. The interviewer doesn’t want to hear you babble on and on, they just want to hear you produce a decent answer. Just remember that you’re trying to get the job, not put them to sleep or make them wish their phone had a snooze button.

Keep these handy phone interview tips in mind the next time you’re job hunting and you’ll be able to drop everything at a moment’s notice and truly dazzle any employer.

We’ve gone over a few of the most common interview questions, but there are bound to be more that you may not have studied or shown up to the interview prepared for. So how do you go about answering interview questions that you didn’t expect?

There are just a few key pointers to keep in mind that will make answering interview questions a breeze.

1. Stick to relevant facts.

If an interviewer asks you to tell them a little about yourself, they usually don’t want to hear about how you like long walks on the beach and prefer your coffee black. Answering interview questions is about sticking to the subject- which is that great job you’re after, so keep your answers related to your skills and work experience. You can talk about a few personal things here and there, but try to keep it to a minimum.

2. Stay up on current events.

It might sound like a silly piece of advice- what does this have to do with answering interview questions? Well, you don’t want to appear to be an airhead if the interviewer conversationally brings up a current event. Also, you want to make sure that you’re aware of any recent developments in the particular field you’re interviewing in or with a particular company. Not knowing this stuff is going to make you look more clueless than Jessica Simpson while she’s snacking on tuna. And although a lot of employers (usually of the male variety) would want to hire her because of her hot factor, they probably wouldn’t trust her to run a division of their company.

3. Stay positive.

Sometimes you’ll get a little confused answering interview questions because they’ll throw something at you that you don’t expect. If you’re asked about what you didn’t like about your last job, for instance, don’t fall for the trick. Those wiley coyotes are most likely just trying to gauge your reaction. Answering interview questions like this with something short and sweet like “I actually rather enjoyed my job, there just wasn’t a lot of opportunity for advancement within the company,” or even “It was just too far from home, unlike this job,” will keep you in a positive light. The last thing you want to do is trash talk an old boss, co-workers, or the job itself. You’re probably applying for the same kind of job anyway, and even if you’re not, you could convey that you’re the problem, not the job.

4. Use proper grammar and professional lingo.

Of course you’re probably not planning on answering interview questions with phrases such as “Like, totally,” but you never know what might pop out of your mouth when you’re nervous. Just make sure you speak correctly, and use any professional terms that are relevant to the job. Answering interview questions with confidence and like a pro will score you brownie points for sure.

5. Try to act like you’re talking to your best friend.

Don’t be stupid, here. Of course I’m not saying to start answering interview questions as if you’re old drinking buddies (and especially not like you’re drunk right there in the interview) but you want to stay relaxed and try to keep it sort of conversational. Don’t forget what I said about being grammatically correct and using proper verbiage though. Sometimes just answering interview questions casually, acting like you’re practicing in front of your mirror instead of staring your potential future boss in the face will help you exude a confidence that you didn’t know you could.

Follow these tips for answering interview questions and you’re sure to be able to come up with the answer to anything on the spot. Above all though, take your time. Don’t sit there for an hour thinking up a good answer, but don’t just stammer something out really quick either. Think your answers to interview questions through, then apply these pointers, and you’ll be HIRED..

It seems that most employers ask you the same questions (even if they are worded differently- a wolf in sheep’s clothing is still a wolf) so it’s really a lot easier than you think to show up at an interview prepared to answer those general questions for interviews that you’ll most likely be asked.

Here are a few of the top questions for interviews that employers usually go with and some guidance to help you produce killer answers so that you can really WOW them.

What’s your greatest strength and your greatest weakness?

This is when you have to kind of flip the truth around a little. Being that this is one of the top questions for interviews, you can think about this beforehand so you answer it the right way. Your greatest strength is easy- something like “I’m extremely organized” or “I work well under pressure” works just fine, but they are substandard answers, so if you’re able to spice them up a little, you’ll impress the employer more.

As for your greatest weakness, turn a negative into a positive. “I might pay a little too much attention to detail because I want to make sure everything is perfect,” will probably raise an eyebrow or two but hey, you’re just being honest, right?

Tell me about a challenge that you had with a previous job- how did you overcome it?

There is usually almost always one of these types of questions for interviews used by an employer. When I was asked this question on my first interview out of college, I froze up. I didn’t have any office jobs or anything that resembled the type of professional environment I was breaking in to so I mumbled something about a serving job that I held in college. Luckily, I still got the job but this question can completely break you if you’re not careful. Stick with something that sounds realistic, even if it isn’t completely true (I’m not telling you to lie, exactly, but a little exaggeration is sometimes necessary.) Maybe talk about a time that you were going to lose a customer or client but that you went over the company objectives and goals and won them back over with your charm. Anything that says that you contributed to company growth or improvement will score you points.

Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?

This is one of those questions for interviews where they’re almost trying to trick you. You may have no idea if the position you’re applying for requires more independent work or more teamwork, so you have to proceed with caution when answering this question. It’s best to say that you work equally well both ways. “I work well on my own, but I also am comfortable sharing work with others- sometimes putting a few heads together shows better results,” is a great answer.

Where do you see yourself in five years? (or ten, or a few, etc.)

Stick to work-related goals with these types of questions for interviews. Don’t talk about how you’re getting married, planning on expanding your family or buying a house. Talk about how you’re hoping to learn and grow within the company and further expand upon your skills and knowledge. That’s really what they want to hear, and if you go anywhere else with this question you might end up sounding like a clueless Miss America contestant. “In five years I hope to see world peace.” Huh?

What are your salary requirements?

Be careful how you answer any questions for interviews that relate to salary. You don’t want to ask for too much, or too little, of course. Do a little research before your interview to see what the typical salary is for similar positions. Then, adjust it a little if needed according to your skill level. If the average salary is $40,000 and you have no experience in a particular field, it’s probably best not to go about $42,000. If you have a lot of experience though, it might be ok to go as high as $55,000….. Salary is usually commensurate with experience, so just be realistic in what you’re asking for. And always let them know that you’re open to negotiation, in case the number is too high for them. You don’t want to not get a job because you asked for 55k a year and they top out at 53k.

Of course these are just a few common questions for interviews to get you started, but the odds are pretty high that you will be asked at least one of these. Brush up on your answers and you’ll appear to be an interview pro!

Do you prefer blondes or brunettes? What’s your shoe size? How about your favorite color?

If you haven’t guessed yet, these are interview questions for employers that you probably don’t want to ask. Some raised eyebrows and eye rolls are probably all that you’ll get in response, not to mention that you’ll basically convey that you’re not taking an interview or a job opportunity very seriously.

We’ve all been there- that awkward stage of the interview where the interviewer asks you if you have any questions.

Most of the interview questions for employers that we’d like to ask, such as “How many hot girls/ guys work here?” or “How much calling off in a six month period is acceptable?” are not the ones that we actually can. So how about asking some questions that will give you some answers that you can use as well as make you appear to be a great job candidate?

What will my duties be?

This is a given, but when you’re applying for a job, they don’t always put all of the responsibilities that an employee will have. This is one of the best interview questions for employers because you’ll make sure you get the 411 on exactly what you’ll be doing if you get the job. You also might find out some things that you might need to brush up on… of course you probably don’t want to let the interviewer know if you’re a little rusty in a certain area, just smile, nod and then go home and study up or practice.

I love this type of work so much; the sky is the limit for me once I’ve expanded further upon my skills. What types of opportunities for advancement within the company will there be in the future?

This is one of those interview questions for employers that you have to proceed with caution on. You don’t want the interviewer to feel threatened or like you want to steal their job, even though ultimately that might be the seat you want to be in, but you want to convey that you’re eager to learn and grow within the company. It’s probably not a good idea to mention anything like “This is just a stepping stone for me to gain the skills I really need to go somewhere else and have the career I really want.” Unless your goal is NOT to get the job.

Who will I be working closely with and what are their functions, and who is my direct supervisor?

You need to understand how you fall into the company hierarchy in order to know how to not only do your job but also so you know how to approach everyone you work with. And chances are that one of your interviewers will be your boss, but they’ll probably still be impressed that you asked. It’s a common sense interview question for employers, but too many times people leave an interview wondering if they’d even like the job they’re trying to get. Save yourself the trouble and worry.

Please tell me a little bit about the company and your experience- what keeps you coming to work every day? It seems like a great place to work!

Honestly, I’ve asked these types of interview questions for employers often because it’s good to know if people typically find the company a decent place to work. Also, overall job satisfaction is important as well. Sometimes it works just to ask about what the turn over rate is like. If they don’t hold on to people long, you might want to reconsider if you actually want the job that bad. If people don’t stay for long, there’s probably a reason.

What are some overall goals of the company over the next 12 months and how can I help contribute to reaching those goals in my position?

This is an interview question for employers that most of them probably don’t hear that often, and it not only says that you care about helping the company succeed but that you really want to excel at the job. You might as well go home and wait for the phone to ring, because you’ll impress with this question, especially if you react with the right amount of excitement when they give you the answer.

Of course these are just a few of the many interview questions for employers that you can ask, but in my opinion they’re the best. They’re going to get you the most information while conveying an “I really care” attitude to your interviewer.

Now all you need to do is make sure you go to the interview prepared with a list of questions… and make sure you don’t ask anything that they’ve already told you. Not listening in an interview could blow the whole thing.

Good luck, and happy interviewing, you interview know it all!

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Some people think that filling in the blank spots on their resume with keywords describing the desired skills for a job will help manipulate Applicant Tracking Systems to their advantage, and in some cases, it does. However, you have proceed with caution with white font because you could end up making yourself look the opposite of what you’re going for — and getting little to no responses on your resume from employers. Often times if this strategy is used, suddenly, experienced and knowledgeable becomes exaggerated and falsified.

When White Font Can Work Against You

Don’t think you’re a sly fox just because you figured out how to use white font on your resume. Most recruiters are on the lookout for this now- you’re not a step ahead of anyone. All they have to do if they want to check a resume for white font is highlight it and suddenly, all of the sneaky keywords that you included on your resume will magically appear. You may be able to fool the machine, but you can’t fool a human. And we certainly don’t recommend or use white font in the Ultimate Resume Template.

Actually, some of the Applicant Tracking Systems that are used can tell if white font was used on a resume. This could hurt you too, because they sometimes weed out and then eliminate those resumes. Some employers look at this kind of manipulation as deceitful, and in those cases, it will definitely hurt you.

Another common mistake that people make when using white font is that they tell little white lies. For instance, they’ll use keywords that they know are relevant to the job in white font on the margins of their resume, but when you look at the actual resume those skills are not present anywhere. If you’re going to try to outsmart employers, at least do it right and don’t make yourself look like an idiot. Putting “creative” on your resume in white font but then having a list of boring jobs that don’t ask for any creativeness at all is going to not only raise some eyebrows, but also put you in the “no thanks” pile.

Why White Font Isn’t a Good Idea

Some employers won’t mind white font if it’s discovered on your resume, but most are going to wonder what you’re up to or why you’d go to such extremes. Your resume should speak for itself- you shouldn’t have to trick people into noticing you. If you just use keywords to get yourself noticed but don’t have the skills to back them up, you just look like a big fat liar. As much as everyone wants one of those working for them… oh wait, this is who they definitely don’t want working for them!

Rather than focusing on how to trick ATS machines and even humans into reading your resume, how about honing in on your great skills and experience and making sure that your resume accurately reflects that?

Incorporate the essential keywords that you would have used white font for into your resume itself. That way, it still gets picked up and there is no fabrication or deceit on your part.

You don’t need tricky methods like white font when you’re actually qualified for a job

Making a resume that will cause employers to want to hire you is a lot like making love. You want to take your time, do it right, get some pleasure out of it, maybe even sweat a little. Hopefully not in the literal sense, but hey, if that’s what it takes!

Making a resume that rocks is all about making sure you have the right words on paper to say all that you want to. No, I’m not saying to write a biography about your exciting (or less than exciting in some of our cases, let’s face it!) life or to babble on and on about how much you want the job, but you should be able to get all of your job related skills and experience on your resume without making it look cluttered or losing your focus.

First of all, making a resume that includes the “right” words just means making sure your resume is geared toward the position you’re after. In most cases, you should of course list all work experience, but in some cases you might just want to list related experience so that it’s the focus of your resume.

For example, making a resume for a job in education doesn’t really require you to include the job that you had when you were 16 waiting tables. If you don’t have a lot of work experience and want to include it to give your resume more meat, you can… just make sure you make it sound related. I know it may not really be true that being a server you were able to talk about the things you were learning in school and teach customers valuable things they didn’t know… but somehow working this in to a resume for teaching if you’re going to include that particular job will work to your advantage.

That being said, one of the biggest NO NO’s is to include exaggerations which some might say are flat out lies on your resume. Making a rockin resume means making something that’s real and honest, a true representation of who you are. So glamorizing an old job that may not look so good on paper may seem like a good idea at the time that you’re making a resume, but there’s a huge change it could backfire on you, so don’t do it.

If you were a stripper, calling yourself a “trained ballet dancer” is probably not a good idea. Actually, I wouldn’t go around advertising that kind of work experience at all, but to each their own. Also, blatant elaboration such as a job that you held as a secretary, but then saying that you were promoted to president of the company within 6 months is an obvious lie and definitely not conducive to making a resume that is going to get you an interview.

The most important tip, I think anyways, for making a resume that rocks is to make sure it’s grammatically correct. There’s no point in showcasing your awesome skills if you can’t even spell or speak correctly. No one wants to hire someone who doesn’t pay attention to detail or doesn’t use proper grammar. If your resume shows these negatives, chances are you’re going to suck at the job too, so employers won’t bother taking a second look. “I did my job real good,” might get a laugh out of someone, but it’s not going to score you an interview, which is what making a resume is all about.

You’ve found the job of your dreams. The only problem is you’re probably not the only one who wants the job and feels the exact same way. Short of tracking down every applicant and clawing their eyes out so that they can no longer compete against you for the job that was made for you, there’s not a whole lot you can do to ensure that you get hired.

Or is there? If you know how to write a good resume, or in some cases, create a good resume, you might be able to kill off the rest of the competition with ease. You just have to know how to go about doing this!

With these tips on how to write a good resume, you’ll be one step closer to that dream job or career. Just make sure that you are tactful and that your resume pertains to the job you’re after. You want to make an employer say “Wow” not “What an Idiot!”

Be Bold and Artistic

Sometimes knowing how to write a good resume isn’t all that you need to do. If you are going for an artsy or artistic job, or even just want to show that you blow the rest of the competition out of the water, you’ll want to think about your presentation.

You know what they say about looking good on paper… Including a picture of yourself in a bikini or Speedo, unfortunately won’t bode well in a professional environment. You’ll probably turn on a few employers, but they won’t call you for an interview if all you do is get them hot and bothered. Well, some of them might, but you probably won’t want to work for a pervert anyways.

Knowing how to write a good resume using word play though, or a creative, fancy design sometimes does work. So often you see resume writing advice saying to keep it simple, stick to a template and use black ink on white paper. Blah blah blah… BORING!

Use Photoshop or another design program to include some pics or cool examples of your work. For instance, if your field is website design, how cool would it be to make your resume look like a web page? Bright, vivid pictures, bold type and text boxes full of different information about you are going to draw the eye. How to write a good resume is just to make the employer want to read more, or perhaps put a face to this creative approach that you’ve dared to try.

Break the rules

Sometimes knowing how to write a good resume is about doing something that potential employers have never seen before. It’s a little unconventional, but one way to do this is with a video resume. Some people criticize this quickly growing form of resume sharing, but I think it’s gold.

I’m not telling you to make a soft core porn video a la Heidi Montag (I’m not knocking her looks- she paid good money for them, but her talent is lacking so much that she has to hump everything in sight on camera), but appearing interesting, talented, maybe even a little sexy or risqué on video is another thing that will definitely make you stand out and lead to an interview. Just keep it geared towards the job you’re after.

For instance, if you’re going for a sales gig, (sure, because we all dream of being in sales- excuse my examples, please!) include a clip of you with a client or a mock-client doing your thing. Impress your future employer with your mad skills and show them what they’re missing!

Make sure you dress the part too. But highlighting your best attribute, such as some pants that are tight in all the right places to show off a great ass (while still maintaining a professional appearance, of course!) doesn’t hurt. Studies do show that people that are physically attractive do tend to get the job over those that aren’t so much. So work what your momma gave you as you show off your job-related skills on camera.

Another unconventional how to write a good resume tip is to make a brochure highlighting your skills and attributes to really show you trying to sell yourself, or a PowerPoint presentation that makes your resume POP.

Other tips on how to write a good resume (or film one if that’s your plan) include being professional yet conversational, maybe being a little funny and really trying to show off your personality and the wide range of skills you have that pertain to the job. You want to stand out and show that you would not only be a good fit, but that you’re the only one that will be a good fit.

No matter how you choose to do it, as long as you’re willing to overstep boundaries a little bit (don’t break out the lingerie or anything, but the little tidbits mentioned here will do!) you’re sure to learn how to write a good resume that makes employers say, “I want to hire this person,” in no time at all.

You’ve gotten an influx of responses from employers on your resume. The interview is over and you feel like you must have done a good job. But now the question, seemingly so innocent: “Do you have any questions for us?”

Hmmmm…nice try, asshole, but I’m onto you. This is a loaded question if there ever was one. If you don’t believe me, give them the typical lame response about how they did such a good job of covering everything already, or better yet, ask if it’s okay to come in still half drunk on Monday mornings.

If you’d rather not be a complete idiot, here are 5 smart interview questions to ask that will help you turn resume responses into job offers:

1. “What do you want to see accomplished in your team department or company in the next three to six months?”

Now you’re thinking. This one is great. This shows that you are not just thinking about yourself but are thinking about getting them results in a measured amount of time and that you are actually putting thought (imagine that) into how you will achieve this or if it is possible.

2. “What would be the ideal outcome?”

This one is similar in that it shows you care about their results and are trying to get a glimpse at what they’re hoping for. It is also valuable to you because you can use it later in your follow-up letter to hit some of those hot buttons after they forgot what they told you.

3. “How will you measure success?”

Interview questions to ask such as these shows that you are trying to get an understanding of what success means to them, and it also gives you an idea about how you will be judged in your role in the company.

4. “How will the position specifically support that goal?” “How does this position impact the organization overall?”

Interview questions to ask like this can show that you know you’re not a lone ranger, that you have a role in something bigger and that you are a part of a team. This is a great display of a healthy working attitude and a propensity for teamwork.

5. “I’d like to know what it takes to be successful in this company. What kind of efforts and hours do top performers put in?”

This gives the message that you want to be one of the best and subconsciously links you to those who really stand out in the company already. Very powerful subconscious trick, and again, it really delivers some nuggets for that thank you letter.

6. “I have appreciated hearing about the goals of this position. What stands out between where the project situation is today and where you want to be?”

A declaration that you understand they are hiring you as an investment. You are showing that you realize they are for some reason not where they want to be and gives that subconscious message that you intend to be such a force in their company that you will bring change. These types of interview questions to ask shows you are ready to take responsibility for past shortcomings that didn’t even have anything to do with you.

7. “Looking down the road for the next several years what do you see as key challenges the person in this position will face?”

This question displays that you are not only trying to get a realistic idea of the position but that you understand it will not be a walk in the park and are unintimidated by challenges. Too many employees these days are just there for a paycheck. You are showing that you are ready to carry your weight as well as more.

Having intelligent, thoughtful interview questions to ask shows a lot about who you are as a person and what kind of employee you will be. This step in the interview process will not be overlooked. Trust me. Just make sure your questions aren’t self-centered—about profits and benefits—make them about what you can do for the company and the role you will play. Choose some above, and you really can’t go wrong.

Psychology actually reveals some really helpful job interview tips.

Did you know that a potential employer forms an opinion about you within the first 15 seconds of meeting you? You’re so nervous as you prepare for interviews- worrying about what to wear, what to say when asked this or that and making sure that you’re able to prove what a catch you are that you often neglect the most IMPORTANT part of the interview process and fail to brush up on helpful job interview tips that matter.

In order to get an interview, you have to show them a good resume. Resume wizards are helpful tools to get you started, but they’re so blah and boring and they’re not going to make someone say “WOW, I need to hire this person NOW!”

If you don’t make the right first impression with your resume, you’re not even going to be asked to come in for an interview so you need to make sure that you know what you’re saying with your resume as well as brushing up on job interview tips that are psychologically based.

Ultimately, your resume needs to say what you can’t since you’re not sitting on the employer’s desk singing your own praises. At least I hope not… ha ha!

More importantly, you have to know what job interview tips work when trying to impress potential employers.

When it comes to finding the best job interview tips, first impressions are everything. A 2009 Oregon University study delved into the topic of first impressions and proved that they really do mean everything when it comes to landing a job- and your resume may be the most important first impression you will ever make. It doesn’t matter if you follow all of the best job interview tips in the book because if you’re resume sucks, you’re not going to get an interview anyways.

The study showed that after only a few seconds, we all take what the professor who oversaw the study, Professor Bernieri, calls a “thin slice” impression of everyone we meet. In an intial interview, you want to makes you’re sending the right signals and have honed in on the best job interview tips so you give a great first, “think slice” impression. This also applies to resumes because after skimming through one, an employer gets a “thin slice” of who you are as a potential job candidate.

You know those times when you just get a gut feeling about someone? You shouldn’t be surprised when you later find out that your first impression is right- you were just using the “thin slice” impression that Bernieri is talking about. You take in everything that you notice in the first few seconds and come to a quick conclusion based on what you see. I think we can all relate to that.

Most of the time you already know if you’re going to like someone or not before they even open their mouth to speak. That’s why one of the best job interview tips is to keeps that thin slice perception in mind right from the get-go.

Sometimes you even let your initial assumptions about someone make you more apt to notice things about them that support your theories. For example, if you sense before your friend’s new girlfriend even opens her mouth to speak that she’s kind of a ditz, you’re going to be on the lookout for signs of her acting like an airhead. So when she asks you for the time, you’re going to think she doesn’t even know how to tell time rather than noticing the fact that she doesn’t wear a watch. We look for things to support our initial impressions, even if they aren’t always right.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure that your resume is going to give potential employers the right first impression about you and that you’re following smart job interview tips during the interview.

If you say even one wrong thing, it could form the basis of the employer’s opinion about you, so you want to make sure you say everything right.

There was another study that took place at Tufts University in Massachusetts where the Professor, Nalini Ambady, asked her students to fill out an evaluation form of their first lecturer. They had to tell her if they liked him, thought he was open and what their initial impressions were.

Two years later, after being tutored by the lecturer the entire time, Professor Ambady surveyed her students again. It was no surprise to her that those initial impressions from two years earlier hadn’t changed at all. They’d already pre-judged and had their minds made up before the tutoring even began, all based on the first time they met. One of the most neglected job interview tips is to remember that the first time the employer lays eyes on you, they’re sizing you up and you need to be on top of your game.

These are non-conscious decisions that we all make- employers obviously do too. It’s the human reaction. If you start to think about it when you’re making these snap judgments, you’re less likely to make them, however an employer isn’t going to be thinking about that when they’re perusing your resume. You’ve got one piece of paper to convince them of what type of worker you’re going to be, so you better make it good. And you’ve got one opportunity to put these job interview tips into action, so you better make the most of it.

There is another study that demonstrates how sometimes our initial impressions can be wrong, but it’s much less likely that they will be. Participants in this tried and true study are shown a short movie of a woman returning from work. In one version of the movie she was labeled as a waitress, while in another she was labeled a librarian- even though she looked the same in each presentation. People recalled things about her associated with the job title she was given even if it wasn’t true. For example, those that saw the librarian video said that she was wearing glasses, even though she wasn’t. It’s not that they were hallucinating, this just demonstrates how the thin slice first impression theory works.

You want to make sure that you’re not giving off the wrong impression with your resume and choosing job interview tips to follow along these same lines. For example, don’t be remembered for the wrong reasons on your resume. If it stands out because you spilled coffee on it, the initial impression the employer is going to get is that you’re messy.

So even if you do still have a decent resume and get called in for an interview, they may think your appearance is sloppy, even if it’s not. Every shirt wrinkle could be shouting at them and you wouldn’t even see it coming. It’s one of the best psychological job interview tips you could ever follow to make sure that you’re neat and tidy in appearance.

Believe it or not, you can control the way people perceive you. If you come across as bubbly, energetic and friendly, they’re most likely going to like you. This is why people who smile a lot, talk with their hands, and always seem upbeat are so well liked, while people who speak more mellow and don’t make a lot of facial expressions are usually not. It’s common sense that following job interview tips that tell you to be friendly, open and happy are going to have a positive psychological impact on employers.

If you do fail to make a good impression on someone by choosing the right resume and job interview tips, it’s not necessarily too late. We all know someone who we used to despise who we later find out is all right, but think about how long it probably took them to convince you of that.

So think about your job searching experience. Have you sent out dozens of resumes and not received a single call back? Your resume is most likely not giving out the right first impression about you. Make the RIGHT statement with your resume- your livelihood depends on it.

Think of it as an introduction to a story.

The story is the interview and you have to preface your audience, or employer, so that they know what to expect when they meet you. Don’t steer them wrong and you’ll guarantee yourself the job you want- it’s a scientific fact as proven in some of the studies mentioned above that the first impression you give is going to act as a guide to who you are on the job. So make it a good one and put these job interview tips into motion.

As you have probably figured out, getting your resume out there is not enough. Job competition has gotten fierce, and you want to master good resume writing that can get yours to the top of the stack and keep it there. Here are 3 simple tricks for doing just that:

1. Do Some Research

While research is important for when you talk to the employer in an actual interview so that you can show you have prepared, it is also crucial in order to find out what buttons to push both in the job resume and in the interview should you get that far. Zero in on what the employer needs by reviewing position postings in local newspapers or online. Realize that postings on different platforms may have varying amounts of information, and you can dig up some real nuggets by doing some searching around.

Networking with people who know about the company or the industry can also do wonders, or you can speak with people who currently work at the company without revealing that you are applying for a position, or at least without revealing exactly who you are. You can also get informative interviews ahead of time or just do good old fashioned research about the company and industry in general, this will actually lead you to good resume writing.

2. Strategically Position Your Information

Good resume writing is laid out with the realization in mind that no one is going to pick up your resume intending to read it from start to finish. Not at all. Experts have shown that screeners and hiring managers scan the resumes instead, looking mostly for disqualifiers but also for stuff that jumps out at them.

You can minimize the risk of obvious disqualifiers by paying attention to the details, but you can also maximize the chance of them catching goodies by placing them all in the top third of your resume document. Good organization and use of bullet points and headings can also make your selling points jump off the paper.

3. Don’t Hide Behind Your Resume

Never forget that the resume is not playing a supporting role in your hunt for that dream career; it is not the star of the job search show. Some people mistakenly think of the job process as a numbers game, convinced that if they send out enough resumes a job will materialize from their efforts.

The truth is that the resume is one small part, and you must combine good resume writing with good networking skills. It’s appropriate to email a resume or post it on a website for a company that takes online posting, but if you don’t back up these moves with some extreme networking tactics, you are going to keep rolling and rolling the dice with no guarantee anything will ever land in your favor.

It is humans that make hiring decisions. Get face to face with them, show them you are human as well, and communicate how your skills can add great value to their company through good resume writing.

Any other good ideas on standing out in this job climate or about good resume writing skills that can help you showcase your strengths in a subtle yet powerful way? Post a comment and fill us in.

Times have changed, and competition in the job market is fierce. It’s time for you step up your game, and that game starts with your cover letter. For those of you who think a cover letter is unnecessary, pull your head out of…um…that book you’re reading right now, and realize it is a necessity. Here are 5 high impact cover letter tips for recent grads:

1. Highlight your Social Media Skills

Believe it or not, there are a lot of corporate positions out there now that require social media skills and a certain number of Twitter followers. Information technology skills are a HUGE asset to college grads these days since many baby boomers don’t even have a clue what a “tweet” is…

In an age where you’re competing with your grandparents, who have been around just a little longer than you, it’s time to break out all the tricks. They want your media skills—so make them clear in your cover letter and get it out on the table from the get-go.

2. Highlight Leadership Skills

Mine your college experiences for demonstrations of leadership. These days, savvy employers want potential leaders, not people who just want to cut a check and skip out the door. One of the most important cover letter tips is to use any kind of experience you had with clubs, groups, team sports, etc, to send a subconscious message that you are a leader. To an employer this equals less headache as you can be expected to take initiative instead of waiting for orders…Sir, yes sir.

3. Translate Past Experiences Into “Professional” Skills

This may be one of the most relevant of cover letter tips for recent grads. You might not have much actual work experience, but you can still pump up that cover letter by relating your non-professional experiences to the professional world. Team building, for instance, is one of those skills that really matters to employers, and you can highlight this by discussing team projects in school, communicating your knowledge of how to get results in a team environment.

4. Highlight Industry Involvement

Employers love a candidate who has extensive knowledge and interest in their industry—i.e. a receptionist who knows a lot about the porn industry rather than a receptionist who just so happens to be applying for a company that produces high-quality porn. Make sure to mention any memberships in well-recognized industry associations…

Not in any associations? Sign up for one today and pay the student price! Then “name drop it” in the cover letter. There are all sorts of creative way to get industry specific on their asses.

5. Make Your Skills Relevant

It’s one thing to rattle off about what makes your skills so great, but it’s even better to sit down and weed through your skills determining which can be reframed in order to best relate to the employer’s needs and which should just be left out. This includes skills, experience, and interests.

Bear in mind these cover letter tips and look at what they’re asking for, then take the time to personalize your cover letter to match. We’ve got a keeper.

Set yourself apart by incorporating all these cover letter tips. For recent grads, it can be a little intimidating to go up against seasoned professionals, but with some creative wordsmithing and sitting down to identify what an employer wants, you can still stand out.

What do you think about these tips? Do you think that they are enough to set a grad’s cover letter ahead of the pack? Feel free to contribute your own cover letter tips for recent grads by commenting below.

Categories in your resume give you a way to format and organize so that information is presented in a visually appealing and accessible manner. A lot of people, however, not knowing how to write resumes just grab a resume template and use the given categories as a guideline. Remember that you are the author of your resume, and how to write resumes is really up to you. So I challenge you to get creative and think how you can best organize the document to serve your needs.

Here are 4 tips about how to write resumes in a creative manner by rethinking categories.

1. Limit the Total Number

A lot of job-hunters who learn how to write resumes from in-college career centers use templates to write their cv, and often these templates include a list of categories that if were all used could add up to a book, or at the very least, a 2 page document.

You never want your resume to exceed more than 1 page, but you also do not want to cram a bunch of categories into that small space. So pick and choose wisely, liming the number of categories for optimum visual appeal.

2. Choose Categories Wisely

Knowing how to write resumes is knowing how to plan well, and choose categories that will best showcase your experience. Realize the categories you choose will decide how you write your resume and set the framework, so think of this ahead of time. For instance, a recent grad might be better off skipping the Work Experience category and choosing Skills or Affiliations instead. This would give them a chance to use the real estate to showcase their strengths in the best way possible.

3. Zero in On the Employer’s Needs

Even though you want to plan your categories to best represent yourself, you also want to think about which ones will offer the best opportunity to speak to the employer’s and address what they re looking for. Get to the bottom of what triggers would help appeal to what they want, and then keep that in mind when planning your categories, setting up a structure that will give opportunity to do so.

4. Endorsements or Customer Comments Category

This is a creative category trick that rarely gets used but can be very powerful. Nothing speaks so loud as third party commentary, and just like testimonials help sell products, your endorsements can help sell you. Consider collecting statements from old employers or clients to strengthen your case.

Do you see how a little creative thinking can turn this seemingly trivial aspect of resume writing into a marketing tool? Just realize that by accepting an online template, or a template from anywhere, you’ve already decided to put yourself into a box and limit what you can communicate and how. It’s cool to look at examples for inspiration, but I’m giving you the freedom now to decide how to write resumes for yourself. Make your own template.

Do you have good ideas on how to write resumes and how you can use categories to sell yourself in your resume? Let’s hear them.

It’s difficult to find help writing a resume. Well, to be more precise, it’s difficult to find good help writing a resume. There is plenty of information out there, from career centers to online websites, but the fact of the matter is that a lot of it is out-dated crap. Students are downloading the same worthless resume templates and all making the same mistakes (not to mention turning in a cookie cutter resume).

Here are 5 tips for finding help writing a resume:

1. Your Teachers Are Not Experts

First off, it is important to realize that your professors are not necessarily the best people to go to for help writing a resume. Sure, it never hurts to get an opinion, but don’t forget that this is all it is.

Unless they are some proven expert in the field, there is no reason to think they know more than anyone else, and in act they may know less because teachers tend to stay with the industry for a long time and do not do much job searching.

2. Your Career Center May Not be Qualified Either

On a similar note, for too many people, the college career center has proven to be a dead end. Someone once told me they found their unemployed neighbor working in their career center.

And many will send you away with nothing more than a stack of standardized forms and a resume handout that will give birth to an ugly 5 page document that will send an employer running. Their intentions are good, but too many of these places are not caught up with the times.

3. Have 3 People Look it Over

I don’t want to discourage you about getting help though. You should definitely have at least 3 responsible friends look it over and get their opinion. Most of all, they should be looking for spelling and grammar mistakes, which can be detrimental.

4. Network with Managers

One great resource for help with writing resumes are people who work in executive positions and have been on that side of the hiring process before. If you know people like this, do not be afraid to get their opinion—it may be the best resource you have. And who knows, maybe someone in their network is hiring.

5. Ask for Help from Successful Friends

One more possible place to find qualified help is friends with proven results at getting hired to big companies, especially if their resumes landed them a lot of interviews while they were searching. Ask them to look over what you have got and give some tips. Or maybe you can even see the one they used.

Don’t be discouraged by the lack of good resources for help writing a resume. There are plenty of articles here to help you out as well as a wide range of other resources like you won’t find anywhere else.

Do you have any resources you have used for getting help writing a resume in the past? Or would you like to just ask some questions here that you need answered? Please use the comment box below.

When it’s time to sit down and create a cover letter, it helps to have a plan before you get started. Contrary to popular (yet misguided) opinion, there is a direct purpose and a set of goals for this essential part of your first contact with the prospective employer. Here are 6 quick and easy steps to create a cover letter that employers will love:

1. Identify Your Key Selling Points

Before you even get started, you need to sit down and do a little soul-searching and take a marketing view of your job experience or anything that has happened in your life. Figure out what your key selling points are going to be before you even consider how they will be communicated. Write these down.

2. Formulate a Blueprint

Pre-planning is the key to success, and you want to sit down and write out a structured outline to follow. This is where you will decide what you’re going to say and where.

3. Write the Opening Paragraph

Now it’s time to create a cover letter you can be proud of. The opening paragraph should be like any introduction and should compel the reader to read the entire letter. You should have a strong benefit statement that encapsulates what you have to offer and include it in the opening paragraph.

Just like any part of the interviewing process, the cover letter will act like a screen and not everyone will get through. Don’t make them search for a reason why they should ready your resume and invite you to interview—put it right where they will look first.

4. Write the Body

Now is the time to flesh out the body of the letter by outlining your accomplishments. Use bullet points and specific benefits to keep the letter organized, easy to read, and communicate exactly what your strong points are.

5. Write the Closing

The closing, or conclusion, should always include a direct call to action. Telling people what to do next is very powerful subconsciously and a fine display of assertiveness and confidence. Tell them to pick up the phone and call you.

6. Polish, Proofread, Finalize

When you create a cover letter, never, ever fail to proofread several times to check for inconsistencies, weak language, poor grammar, and spelling mistakes. In fact, you should always have someone else look it over for you. Detail-oriented people are a valuable commodity in this world, and not paying attention to these things in something as vital as a cover letter can completely destroy your credibility.

Details, details, details…

Create a Cover Letter Feedbacks

Check out some of our other articles to get some good tips before you create a cover letter, but this is a good guide to get you started and give you framework for the process. Let me know your comments—is there anything that has worked for you in the planning process that you would like to share?

Knowing how to write a good cv resume is an important skill to have, especially with the job market the way it is these days, but what you don’t do can be as valuable as what you do. Are you confused yet? What I mean is that knowing how to talk yourself up is an essential skill for getting hired, but you have to be sure not to walk into a trap also.

Here are 4 tips on how to write a good cv resume without putting your foot in your mouth.

1. Make it Targeted

It’s great you got in there and turned in a resume, and if they’re really hiring, they at least you know you were competent enough to know. But show them it was more than blind luck in a widespread resume-handing out spree by targeting the resume specifically to them.

A lot of would-be employees make one blanket resume that covers all the different companies and positions. Big mistake.

In how to write a good CV resume, make a different resume for each company you apply to, even if that means nothing more than making a few changes here and there and printing again. Customize as much as possible to the particular company’s needs and the specifics of the position in question. Even your skills and experience can be tailored exactly to what they are looking for using some good research.

Also, try to find out who the hiring manager is so you can address them in your cover letter, and never apply for more than one position or “any position available.” Target the ideal position and if they really like you they may suggest starting you in another, but leave that suggestion to them so you don’t look like you’re at there for any job you can find.

2. KISS

You know what they say – keep it simple stupid. Don’t go blabbing on about your social life, the names, of all your boyfriends or girlfriends, or your favorite flavor of condom. That’s now how to write a good cv resume. The point is they don’t need an autobiography – keep it to the information that they need, or to be more precise, the information that they want. Use white space liberally for visual appeal and reading ease, and hit all the main points without overdoing it.

3. Be Honest

One way to really put your foot in your mouth is to sit down at the computer to type your resume and start lying your ass off. It’s ok to put a good spin on your experiences and to market yourself, but it is never okay to lie, and the chances are that you will be caught out, even if they never make any mention of the fact.

It is most likely going to come up in the interview or the job. Not a good way to make an impression.

4. Back Your Claims With Proof

On a similar note, while in a court of law you might be innocent until proven guilty, it is likely the other way around when it comes to whether or not you can be believed about everything you write in your resume. Employers have seen some bullshitters in their time and take everything with a grain of salt.

Eliminate doubt by backing all your claims with evidence or, at the very least, with numbers. This is also a great way to make an original cv that stands out and pleads your case in high fashion.

Do you have any stories to share about your you walked yourself into a trap and screwed up your chances of getting hired? We’d love to make fun of you and learn how to write a good cv resume from your mistakes. Please do share.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that teachers and professors know something about how to get a career. Yeah, maybe a teaching career. But if you’re aiming for something a little different, you need to try a little harder. Here are 6 essential job interview skills your teachers never taught you…not because they wanted yet another reason to make you suffer but because they didn’t know some job interview skills to begin with.

1. Marketing

The number one skill to have when working to get hired for top notch companies is marketing. You need to learn to market yourself, and in fact this is one of the best skills to have in modern society, period.

It’s about knowing how to communicate what you are all about without just saying it. Ever heard the expression show don’t tell? Proper marketing will plead your case for you.

2. Sales

Not to be confused with marketing, sales is a little more direct. While marketing covers every part of what you do, sales is actually sitting down and telling. Selling yourself. It really comes in handy during negotiation time, and just like on a used car lot, the guy or gal that is that natural salesman is likely to pull it off.

3. Body Language

In any human interaction, body language plays a major role, and while this is no different in the interviewing process, most people just don’t think about it. Mastering body language is an art that can speak volumes regardless of what your mouth is saying and may be essential for landing the best jobs out there which is one of the most important job interview skills.

4. Psychology

Psychology is another one of the vastly underrated job interview skills. People like to fool themselves by pretending the professional world is able to step around basic human psychology, but the truth of the matter is that we are as much slaves to our twisted little psychological quirks in this situation as ever. Learning to master subliminal messages and understand basic psychology can truly give you power in the professional world.

5. Persuasion Via Print

Having all the best credentials in the world means nothing if you don’t know how to put it down on paper and persuade someone to hire you. The art of persuasion is what will get you in the door. Learn it, and learn it well.

6. Charisma

Finally, this last overriding quality is something that people have struggled for centuries to put their finger on, but it is a powerful component to every step of the interviewing process. Charismatic people tend to do well in any social situation. Don’t think charisma cannot be learned; it can, and you should make it a priority. It truly can make your life better.

These six job interview skills might not be discussed in the traditional circles of interviewing information, but if you want better than traditional results, you should make it a point to master them and start working on it now.

Do you have any stories about when one of these traits had exceptional results for you? Some people catch on to them on their own and will just take 1 and make it the cornerstone of everything they do. Feel free to share your stories and your job interview skills.

You might be asking yourself, “Self, how do I write a resume that not only makes me look professional and fills expectations but is irresistible on its own?” Great question, and that’s exactly the mentality you should be taking to the resume writing process. Getting this document in their hands is not enough; you need to grab attention, hold it, and secure an interview.

How do I write a resume that’s irresistable? Here are 3 great tips to get you started.

1. Go for Visual Appeal

Yep, we are a bunch of shallow creature, us humans, and one thing that appeals to use more than anything is visual appeal. This is why attractive people often have a better fighting chance in an interview (don’t worry, if you look like Gollum, learning about attraction psychology can still get you more dates than Hugh Heffner), and the same applies to getting hired.

Your resume can be made attractive as well. No one’s going to start making out with it and offering to give it a better future, but a visually appealing resume is more likely to get read and more likely to be taken seriously. In your ‘How do I write a resume’ concerns, visual aspects to keep in mind are a limited number of fonts, good organization, and liberal use of white space.

2. Put Selling Points Front and Center

If you still have that how do I write a resume problem, another trick to creating a good resume is putting all the biggest points right where the eyes naturally fall, and this is right in the center of the document. You want to make it as easy as possible for the employer to see your message, and the trick to doing this is setting it up so that a scan will pick up the key points.

A resume layout should draw the reader in—catching their attention with that valuable info so that they pause and take a closer look. Also, use bullets with short headings in order to communicate the main benefits, with this, your how do I write a resume concerns would be perfectly answered.

3. Provide Hardcore Supporting Info With Proof

Any jackass can walk in and say they are the best damn film producer this side of their own imagination, but nothing speaks louder in a resume than proof. Back up your claims whenever possible and show that you are the real deal. They expect you to talk yourself up, and any candidate worth their salt will, but evidence takes the guesswork out of your claims and sets you apart.

I’m glad you’re asking yourself, “How do I write a resume that is not like all the others?’ That shows you realize there is more to this process than playing a numbers game. These 3 quick tips can give you a lot of leverage in standing out and securing the next step in the process. Check out some of our other articles about writing powerful resumes, or leave your own questions, comments, and tips below.

I know the feeling–You walk out of the interview from hell thinking there is no way to turn it around, and the idea of writing a job interview thank you letter seems pointless. But sometimes you didn’t screw up quite as bad as you think, and you might be a little over-critical due to jumpy nerves. Writing a good job interview thank you letter should always be a priority, no matter how you felt the interview went. Well, if you got caught stealing paper clips or groping a current employee and were hauled off by the police, you can probably skip it, but in all other cases….

Here are 5 reasons why even crappy interview needs a follow-up through a job interview thank you letter.

1. Reinforce Points from the Interview

You likely made SOME good points in the interview, right? It couldn’t’ have all been bad. Writing a good job interview thank you letter gives you the opportunity to turn the attention back towards the good stuff. That doesn’t mean you should be giving excuses for the bad—“So, I just wanted to say the reason I took those paper clips was…” That won’t do at all. Leave the negative stuff back where it belongs—over and done with.

2. Share New Information

A lot of times when you really screw up and come across as incompetent in an interview it’s because you forgot what you were going to say—or maybe you even forgot what you were going to say because you couldn’t stop thinking about how much of an idiot you looked like.

In these cases, it might help to throw those lost gold nuggets out there in the job interview thank you letter, while you’ve got the interviewers attention again and aren’t there personally to screw it up. “Hey, did I mention can tie cherry stems with my tongue?”

3. Confront Objections

If some issues were raised in the interview that may have really damaged your chances of getting hired or brought up some objections in the interviewer’s mind, this is probably the best chance you’ll have to confront those concerns, especially if the interviewer voiced those concerns at the time but you were unable to give an adequate rebuttal.

This could have a tremendous impact. Highlight and defuse those obstacles in a tactful manner.

4. A Display of Professionalism

Hey, it’s admirable when someone farts in the middle of a speech, smiles, and keeps on talking rather than running from the room with tears streaming down their face. The point is that in the professional world, we realize people are sometimes just human, but the ability to act like a pro regardless of shortcomings and mistakes goes a long way.

The fact that you went in there and humiliated yourself but still sat down to thank them by sending a job interview thank you letter for their time and state your case yet again says a lot about your character.

5. Set Yourself Apart

Due to the fact that so many grads skip this idea, whether out of laziness or because they don’t understand the importance, the simple fact of writing it already sets yourself ahead of the curve. But you can go even further to stand out by customizing your letter and paying attention to the details.

How else can you spruce up your image by writing a good job interview thank you letter and defusing the bomb you left behind when you walked out the door? This is really an issue that takes some creative thinking. Is there something that saved you from sabotaging yourself in the past?

Put your comments below and share some of your thoughts on how to write a job interview thank you letter.

When writing a good resume, you need to see what other prospects don’t see and use strategies and tactics that they never even considered.

I know, I know… this sounds easier than it really is.

But trust me, all it takes is for you to look at writing a good resume from a completely different perspective—a new paradigm, if you will—and the results of looking at them from this paradigm can be life-changing.

Here are 3 savvy tricks for writing a good resume that the vast majority of candidates never thought of:

1. Use Keywords

If you are familiar with internet marketing and search engine optimization, this tip on writing a good resume might have you scratching your head a little bit. If not, I won’t get into the logistics of selling porn online and how phrasing your web content can equal reaching more eager customers, but basically, keywords are words that directly relate to the job and position you are applying for, or even to the benefits derived from said employee.

These keywords can and should be worked through your resume when describing your skills and experience. Put them anywhere in the resume you can.

There are several reasons for this. For one, if your resume is online, this will make it more likely to get picked up when employers or online recruiters are searching on the web. Also, if the resume is in a computer database and the employer is searching using a software program, it will make it easier to find it there as well.

Finally, even human readers pick up on keywords. The scanning of a resume can be likened to a computer search in that the brain is preparing itself and searching for certain keywords that signal a likely candidate. The keywords will jump out at them and warrant a more extensive look at the resume.

Not to mention the subconscious power of linking your name to these words. Keywords are critical for resumes, and most candidates would not think of this in a million years.

2. Use Advertising and Marketing Strategies

It is essential that you get used to think of getting hired as a marketing campaign and keep this in mind for writing a good resume. Start learning about successful strategies used by top marketers and advertisers. Read marketing books. Learn to think like these people.

It will not only help you learn writing a good resume that has an impact but will help you in your entire career and indeed every aspect of your life.

3. Write Great Copy

When it comes to high impact marketing skills, writing copy is perhaps the most valuable any marketer can have, and it is not hard to see how this plays into writing a good resume. Valuable copy sells in a way that does not seem to be trying and pulls the subconscious triggers that spark curiosity and create attraction. While writing a good resume will not land you a job, powerful copy will certainly help it achieve its goal of landing you an interview.

Do you see how thinking outside of the box can teach you about writing a good resume that puts you in a completely different league than the competition? If you’ve ever seen how powerful this type of mindset can be, you know what I’m talking about.

Tell us about your experience with writing a good resume in the comments below.

Recent studies have shown that job recruiters, interviewers, and employers have very similar pet peeves about cover letter writing, and there are certain things that may alienate you and ruin your chances of getting an interview—or even getting someone to look at your resume for that matter.

As you could imagine, it’s probably a good idea to keep these peeves in mind when fleshing out your cover letter writing.

Here are 5 cover letter writing mistakes that drive recruiters crazy.

1. Letters Longer than 1 Page

Not only does is this a waste of a recruiter’s time, but it also might come across as a show of arrogance or maybe even an attempt to overcompensate. Who are you to think you are entitled to send in a 2 page letter when everyone else just sent in the one? Keep it short and to the point. Some employers might throw out your cover letter simply for the reason that you didn’t have the discipline and common sense to keep it shorter.

2. Wordy Letters

By this, I mean letters jam-packed with words and little space. This can be a chore to read and looks disorganized and sloppy. It comes across as unprofessional and cluttered. The easier you make a cover letter to read, the more of a chance they will pick up what you’re putting down.

3. Cookie-Cutter Letters

It can also irritate the hell out of someone who is staring at cover letters all day to see the same basic templates coming across their desk. In some cases, this is an obvious case of everyone downloading the same lame resumes from the Internet and editing them. In other cases, it’s just a lack of originality.

4. Letters Without a Resume

Some cover letter writing “experts” actually recommend sending the cover letter in all by itself. The supposed logic is that it acts as only as a “Teaser.” A teaser? Give me a break; you’re not trying to get into someone’s pants at the bar—employers don’t have time for games.

This is all business, and if you think they are going to go out of their way to contact you to get the rest of what is typically expected, you can pretty much expect not to get a phone call. Don’t be a tease—aim to please.

5. “Cute” Letters

While original can be nice, trying to be funny or cute can alienate a lot of employers, especially the ultra conservative “old school” types you find in some industries. So save the lovey dovey talk for your boyfriend or girlfriend.

Some people just don’t want “fresh” and funny cover letters, so unless you have some kind of inside scoop or they gave the go ahead for outrageous originality, use your accomplishments to stand out instead of throwing your funny bone out on the table.

There you have it—5 little screw-ups you want to avoid like broken condoms. The aim of cover letter writing is to state your case and ask for an interview—not annoy the hell out of them and have them slamming the door before you even reach for the knob.

You have any stories about idiotic moves in cover letter writing you pulled in a move to impress? Break em out and give us all a chance to laugh at you (I mean with you). Leave your comments below.

Sending athank you note after interview is one of those things that a lot of college students assume is akin to asking a one-night stand for their phone number—a meaningless transfer of information that no one takes seriously. You better check that assumption because this could be the one thing that sets you apart from the other guy or gal.

Check and make sure your thank you note after interview includes the 5 following points:

1. Performance and Specific Results

Take this time to reiterate the strengths you communicated in the interview, especially focusing on specifics. In the interview you should have talked about how you delivered value to companies you worked for in the past, and ideally, you did this in a way that was quantifiable.

Now that you’ve gone home, believe it or not, the prospective employers didn’t shut down the office, call off the rest of the interviews, and call it a day at the office on account of coming across the best damn candidate ever. Not at all. They likely waded through more interviews, left the office wishing they never had to do it again, drank a few beers at the local pub, and went home to argue with their spouse.

Too make a short story long, they probably don’t remember a word you said. That might be little cynical (you think), but it certainly doesn’t hurt to highlight your key selling points once again and remind them though sending a thank you note after interview.

2. Energy and Enthusiasm

Let’s try not to write a letter that says in tone but not in words, “Hey, I’m bored off my ass but felt obligated to thank you blah blah blah.” You want to seem enthusiastic and energetic about the letter and come across high energy. Don’t scribble stars and flowers all over it either, but show some enthusiasm.

3. Personality

What often stands out the most social situations like job interviews is not a person’s credentials and work history but their personality. In the end, getting hired is about creating attraction.

I don’t mean the “let’s just get this over with in the broom closet” kind of attraction, but the natural attraction that a charismatic person creates in the people around them. The best thing you can do in an interview is have a personality that stands out, and your thank you note after interview needs to be consistent with this same personality.

4. Interest in the Position

As always, it’s best if the employer feels like you aren’t just applying because you needed a job. As unfair as it is to you that you have to wade through all these different interviews and sell yourself to the different companies, your odds are best if you express real interest in each one. This comes a lot easier if you only pick positions you are actually interested in…imagine that.

Communicate this yet again in the thank you note after interview. Reconfirm your strong interest in not only the position but the company and industry as a whole. Show that you are ready to commit, even if you’ve been running from that same promise in the dating arena all through college.

5. Your Value to the Company

Okay, so you’ve gone over how you’ve been directly valuable for other companies in the past. You’ve reconfirmed your interest in an energetic, enthusiastic manner reminiscent of the personality you expressed in the interview. Now it’s time to get down to what really matters—what’s in it for them.

Express directly how you will use your strengths to benefit their company, preferably in a quantifiable manner. Because at the end of the day, if you don’t look like dollars, you don’t make sense.

What you should have gotten from these 5 points is that the thank you note after interview is not just about saying thanks, although you absolutely need to express gratitude for the time and energy invested in being given the opportunity, but it is also about reminding them of all the best things about you that you wanted to express in the interview.

Any other ideas? Feel free to chip in. What has worked or not worked for you in a thank you note after interview?

Are you sitting there staring at the computer screen, trying to figure outhow to write a resume objective that gets the point across without sounding corny? Like a corporate mission statement, your objective can immediately communicate to the employer (your customer) exactly what you are all about and what makes you different. Not to mention that it comes at the very beginning of the document and immediately communicates to them what you are offering.

If you want to know how to write a resume objective that hits your point home, here are 3 components you need to include:

1. The Position You Want.

The first thing to do in mastering how to write a resume objective is by stating exactly what position you are interested in. Never use vague statements like “I want a job in office admin” or “I’m looking to get a paycheck every month so here’s my resume.”

Stating the specific title you are pursuing not only clarifies to a gatekeeper where it should go but also eliminates confusion if more than one position is being filled. Furthermore, it shows that you are informed and interested in a particular job rather than just casting a wide net and seeing what you can land.

2. Key Skills That Qualify

Again, the resume objective is right there in the beginning, so it’s time to quickly summarize the main selling points of the document in order to get them reading further. Knowing how to write a resume objective is to identify the 3 main skills that you bring to the job and encapsulate them in this statement.

Keep in mind that it’s not adequate to simply talk about what you are best at doing. You don’t want to walk into a brokering firm ranting and raving about how you cook a mean cheeseburger and can down 3 Coors Lights at a time in your roommates beer bong.

Relevance is key, and sometimes establishing relevance takes a little help. You might have skills that seem unrelated, but you can often “package” them in a way that shows employers how they apply to the position at hand. That is very important in knowing how to write a resume objective and writing a resume as a whole.

3. The Benefits or Value to an Employer

As always, you need to get into the mindset of recognizing that the employer is happy you have skills and everything, but what really matters to them is how that transfers into value for the company. Sure, they can figure that out on their own, but it is very effective to simply spell it out for them and shows that you are on the same wavelength. Tell them exactly how you are an asset to their company.

If you want to know how to write a resumeobjective, liken the process to developing a USP, or unique selling position, for a new company. Because that is what you are really doing—selling yourself to them. What do people want to know when they buy or invest in something? What is its purpose, what can it do, and how does that translate into value for me? In managing and learning how to write a resume objective, you are actually adding points to your resume thus would actually give you a leverage in the position being applied for.

Do you have any examples or tips on how to write a resume objective that worked well for you in the past? Any tips on what you think employers are looking for. Leave a comment below.

This podcast will be giving you tips on how to write a resume that will not only double or even triple your chances of getting hired but will also persuade hiring managers to put you in their interview list. With these 5 amazing how to write a resume tips, you will learn to format your resume that would guarantee results and give you a very powerful tool in marketing yourself to potential employers. With these tips on how to write a resume, learn how to build a very attractive resume that hiring managers just cannot ignore. Once and for all, you actually get a job interview tips that work.

Cover Letter Tips – want to know the secrets in how to get that prospect employer to pick up and actually read your resume? These 10 cover letter tips will actually mark you and give you a quick chance to persuade why prospective employers should go ahead and hire you. These cover letter tips will give you a personality, rapport with the would-be employers, direct-to-the-point-no-nonsense cover letters and lets you attack from all angles that would make you absolutely irresistible to employers!

Having problems getting an interview or landing a job? Don’t fret. It is probably your resume giving you minus points from prospective employers and hiring managers. In today’s economy, you need to set yourself apart and stand out in a competition and get yourself resume tips that work. With these 6 resume tips and add on extras, you will definitely gain your first step in getting that job you want. Learn how to do this resume tips and help hiring managers hire an organized employee with good organizational skills who will make their lives easier –YOU!

Getting yourself to be called in for interview is no easy feat. You need to pass the elimination round and get yourself to be noticed amidst all other potential applicants. Well, since you have been included in the roster of interviewees, you might as well get the most out of it and make sure that you land the job right away! These 13 most common interview questions that you should be aware of will definitely make you walk in more confident and collected making you stand out in employers’ minds more than anyone else. How to get in your prospect employers’ perspective, how to create rapport, how to demonstrate motivation and drive and walk out a winner are just a few of what you get with these interview tips that work.

Check out the link below and get tips on how to answer the 13 most common interview questions

Ever said something but actually meaning the other? Body language is one of the most important channels one can send their messages across comprising 70% of a conversation. Since subliminal body language count the most, you must be very careful with your gestures as to better express yourself positively and effectively during interviews. With these 5 subliminal tricks, learn how to create the vibes people and your interviewers in particular would love, establish rapport, send temporary submissive gestures, tips on body languages with different cultures, bring an edge to an interview and make employers adore you!

Probably one of the most daunting and tricky question one will come across with and answering this question might make or break your career with a prospect company. These interview tips that work in how to answer the Why Should I Hire You Question will get you prepared for any interview that you walk into. Putting some effort and passion into answering this question with a must- know tips in this podcast and enough practice will totally make you be remembered even long after the interview.

Since the arrival of the new economy, employers in the corporate world are changing together with the way they choose and hire people. There is a need to survive in the new corporate world where hiring of employees that deliver and firing the ones who don’t is a reality to a typical employee who has not started to cultivate the habits of a navy seal entrepreneur. At interviewmastermind.com, we offer you the tools and techniques employing the most revolutionary findings in the fields of neurolinguistic programming and motivational psychology to teach you leverage your brain into a power of subconscious social interaction and establish lifelong habits for success. With these interview tips that work, you will be able to recognize things that a typical employee may not be able to grasp, seek opportunities to innovate and expand, achieve personal growth while cultivating relationships and carve out a competitive edge within your industry. So make that industry shaking changes and welcome to a new way of thinking, a new way of working and a new way of life.

Having problems with your employers? Congratulations! You’ve finally landed the job you’ve been eyeing for and working so hard to get, and just when you are about to throw a party for being successful, you suddenly become aware of the big pressure being put into your happy life and the big expectations that awaits you. Don’t panic. These simple steps using social media can get you out as fast as it got you in the corporate world. Learn great ways to be prematurely fired and get creative while you’re at it. If you want to get rid of any inconvenience and get your freedom and instant national fame, you might want to check these interview tips that work!

Unknown to many, seating positions also have a psychological influence on social dynamics. Whether contributed by your body language and the vibes that you actually send out to hiring managers and interviewers, there’s actually a lot going on in seating arrangements that can influence how hiring managers perceived of you. These 6 awesome ways to make the most out of seating options can not only make you feel confident and not cower even in a panel interview but will also help you take control and exert effort in making your interviewers at ease. So listen to this interview techniques and deal with interview situations the most easy and effective ways!

Just a few weeks ago, you thought you’d be moving out of your apartment, setting up a tent behind the liquor store, and teaching yourself the art of crumpled newspaper origami so you could trade paper hats for change; Now, you’re suddenly facing a whole new and wonderful dilemma—turning away jobs by writing a decline job letter! While that is a huge step in the life of a struggling college graduate, a little tact is important.

Here are 5 tips for turning down a job offer with a decline job letter.

1. Send the Decline Job Letter Promptly

The first thing you need to realize is the decline job letter should go out immediately—as prompt as possible. This isn’t some guy or girl you met at the bar last Friday that you want to toy with a little bit before cutting loose just to satisfy your ego—respect their time and money by letting them know as soon as you make a decision.

2. Express Thanks for the Offer

While the point of the decline job letter is to say no, remember your manners. Keep in mind that these people wanted to give your sorry as a career. Not only did they want to hang out with you every 5 days a week, they were going to pay you for it. Would your friends ever do that? I don’t think so.

You should be thankful for this, and it isn’t something we should take lightly. A lot of people would die to have the interview skills to have multiple job offers in this economy. Be sincere in your thanks.

3. Don’t Mention Salary

This is not the time to talk numbers. If you had a problem with salary or had a better offer, that should have been dealt with during negotiations, not when you decline the job with a decline job letter. Throwing it out there at this point is a bit like taking a cheap shot in the bar at some guy while his head is turned. Just say you thought the other company was a better fit.

4. Keep Your Personal Reasons Private

There is no need to divulge that you just couldn’t stomach the bosses hairy palms or that your baby’s momma couldn’t let you borrow her car every day to drive that far. As always with business, personal is personal and business is business. Keep it professional, even if that means a white lie.

5. Keep Communication Channels Open for Future Opportunities

Make sure you leave them in your decline job letter with contact information and permission to get in touch with you, just in case. Because what all the other tips really come down to is just like the title says, keeping the bridge from burning. You never know what the future holds, and this company might someday be your saving grace or a next step forward.

Any insights to contribute about how writing a decline job letter? Maybe you see a way to relate the smooth breakup you used on your ex to letting go of a job opportunity. Hey, we don’t discriminate on your creative sources.

Hop in and join the conversation on how YOU would write a decline job letter.

If you want to know how to write a good resume, remember that employers don’t just want to hire a good employee—they want to hire the best employee. Even a hiring manager, who is really just an employee themselves, wants to find a 1 in a million rookie and look like a star to their boss. So what you are doing in the interviewing process is trying to paint a picture of complete competence and high potential—you want to be the A-player that bosses wish they could find a dozen more of but have given up on doing.

When trying to gauge how to write a good resume, here are 3 things to keep in mind so that you can position yourself as the A-player.

1. Appear Business Savvy

An A-player is not just another employee who shows up, puts in their hours, and collects a monthly salary. Employees like that are a dime a dozen and nothing special.

Employers are impressed by a candidate who shows potential for a bright future in the company—not someone who is just going to deliver coffee for the rest of their career but someone who has a fighting chance and even likelihood to aim for positions in higher management.

2. Indicate an Understand of the Bottom Line

You need to show that you realize the position is more than just a job. It is an asset to the company, they expect that to translate into profits, and nothing is more refreshing than an employee how understands this. Speak their language. Use it in a way that demonstrates you are on the same page.

3. Reveal a Track Record for Providing Value

Just that understanding of the bottom line really is huge, but what can even bring you better results is demonstrating a track record for producing results in other companies or achieving things in your life that would equal direct results in a corporate environment. In other words, if you can show how your understanding of the bottom line produced results in the past, you can really set yourself aside as an A-player and get a hiring manager salivating.

One of the best ways to do this is try to communicate monetary or quantitative values that can be attached to your accomplishments (I talk about how to do this in my book). When a manager is thinking in terms of investment and money, it is hard for them to not be impressed by numbers.

Becoming an A-player is within reach if you just know how to market yourself, and you should start cultivating the habit of how to write a good resume that do add up to the A-player mentality because they can really bring success in your career and life. Not to mention it is much easier to sell an identity you truly identify with.

Do you have any tips on how to write a good resume that portrays yourself as the super employee? Please contribute and drop some comments below.

We tend to think all interviews are the same. You are sitting in a tiny chair, your sweaty hands in your lap, looking up at 3 brooding employers that seem to be taking far too much satisfaction in your suffering. But the truth is there are plenty of different kinds of interviews, and they all share their own unique challenges.

Here is a brief job interview guide to what could be in store for you in the process that lies ahead:

1. Telephone Screening Interviews:

When an employer asks you to accept a phone interview, what they are really doing is screening you before inviting you into the office and wasting time and money for the real deal. Your goal in a telephone interview is always to get a face-to-face interview. Check out my article on phone job interviews to get a sense of how you can do that.

2. One-on-One Interviews:

Some employers will put you through a series of one-one-ones with various people in the company. Treat every interview as the FIRST interview. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking because they made it to the second they have already gained some ground, but each of those interviewers is someone completely new with all the power to stop your advance right where they sit.

3. Behavioral and Situational Interviews:

These are interviews when you will be asked to give stories of specific situations in which you used certain skills or faced challenges. Be well prepared with SMART stories. You do not want to take these off the top of your head, and in fact, you should prepare stories for any of these situations in this job interview guide.

4. Stress and Brain Teaser Interviews:

It’s important to keep in mind that you aren’t always expected to have the best answer or completely solve the problem put before you here, although that can help. The important thing is to see how you react under stress and how your problem solving skills are. So don’t freak out and start choking out another interview because you’re frustrated.

Any job interview guide would tell you to stay calm and collected. You can ease your own stress and clarify your own thoughts by sharing the thought processes you’d like to go through to solve the problem. Another nice thing about that trick is that if you don’t get it right, at least the employer still gets an idea of how you solve problems.

5. Top-Grading Interviews:

This is a series of detailed interviews that analyze your specific competencies and then the results from the different sessions are looked at and compared together. In many cases, the results will follow you into the job and become the foundation for an effort to lead you to top performance. If you’re caught off guard by the specificity of the interviewer, you will typically do much better.

6. Speed Interviews:

Quick and dirty—just how you like it. One good thing that can be said about speed interviews is that they are quick and to the point. No wasting words or time. Just relax and have fun with it.

7. Panel Group and Peer Interviews:

In this situation, address every person in the interview when you are speaking. Aside from this job interview guide, think back on your speech class and the tricks you were taught to engage the audience. Alternate scanning eye contact with meeting the gazes and nods of listeners and engage with other interviewees.

8. Simulation Interviews:

These interviews can be fun as they are more active, and they are designed to allow you to show how well you would do the job. It certainly helps if you have some experience in that position, but realize employers don’t expect you to get it perfect.

9. Video Conference and Web Cam Interviews:

While it may be tempting to cut some corners because you like the idea of doing an interview in your socks and boxer shorts, physical appearance is as crucial as ever, if not more, in this type of interview. Less of your body language will be transferred, therefore, what you look like carries more weight.

10. Lunch or Dinner Interviews:

Don’t get too excited when you get invited to a meal for an interview. Chances are the employer is picking up the tab, but that doesn’t mean you should make up for all those top ramen nights by ordering the lobster bisque and boxing up leftovers.

This isn’t about nourishment. Order light, pay attention to your table manners, and focus solely on the interview at hand rather than the meal.

While this job interview guide paints a picture of just how varied the interview setting can be, many of the principles we draw from psychology and the art of attraction apply in all of them. It just takes a little tweaking here and there.

Have you faced any other strange job interview guide settings that haven’t been mentioned? Something to do with a strange doctor groping you and asking you to cough? Okay, maybe keep that one to yourself, but anything else we’d love to hear about it.

Today I want to talk about a couple little-known secrets about creating a resume and how they can be leveraged in your job hunt. You see, most candidates think of a resume as an end in itself, but the truth is that it is one small piece of a bigger process and must be in line with purpose that it serves.

Here are 3 ideas I want you to chew on when laying out the outline and getting around to creating a resume.

1. A Resume is A Part of a Process

It’s tempting to think that creating a resume is a goal in itself and that the right resume will lend you a job, but that is wishful thinking. I remember having this mindset when I was first getting started with my job hunt.

I’d turn in my resume, which looking back was not half bad, and then I’d show up at the interview and sit down with this mentality like I was there to discuss the resume rather than myself. Any additional information I could put out there as a response to questions “about the resume” just made me feel like I was clever, but I was missing the point.

We were there to talk about ME, not the paper. Creating a resume has about as much of a chance of getting your hired as getting someone’s phone number has to get you laid. It’s a foot in the door—nothing more.

2. Employers and Candidates Usually View Resumes with Different Purposes

To go even further, you are looking at the resume as a qualifier, but the hiring manager sees it as a disqualifier. In other words, they use resumes to screen you and filter out candidates that are a definite no-go; it is not a chance to introduce yourself and get an unbiased audience. They will purpose hunt down reasons to get rid of you, and that means that the slightest mistake can carry your document to the trash can.

3. A Resume Does Not Always Speak For Itself

Some employees are relieved to just turn in a resume and leave the ball in the employer’s court so they can wait to see what happens. They cruise around, dropping off a small stack of them, and then sit back and wait, figuring it is a numbers game.

But getting hired takes a little more interaction than that and creating a resume is always more effective if you have a voice or face-to-face contact with the person doing the hiring. Managers don’t want to hire a piece of paper—they want to hire a dynamic person. Set the stage for the resume before delivering it, and it will be much more likely to be welcomed with open arms.

Modern-day college students have a lot of misconceptions when it comes to creating a resume, and these can make or break your efforts to get the best jobs. In essence, a resume can quickly become a liability instead of an asset. Do you have any insights on the resume process that you think might not be common knowledge? Share them in a comment.

Interviewing is such a social game, really. The whole idea is to go in there and impress the hell out of someone, and that’s really the key. You aren’t there to meet someone new. You aren’t there to say, “Hey, can I have a job?” You’re there to be the cool guy in the room and impress them long enough to hire you, and then hopefully you’ll live up to that impression and have a solid career for the long-run.

Here are 5 job interview tips to get you started on being that person and impressing your prospective employers.

1. Demonstrate Value

What it all really comes down to in any job interview tips is demonstrating and communicating value. The thing that most clueless job hunters don’t realize is that this has more to do with your persona than with your credentials.

A demonstration of value is a state. You don’t want to go in there like you desperately need a job or will take whatever you can get; you want to present yourself as if you are in your element, as if you could start the job that day and easily adapt.

The trick is to be confident, calm and centered. Relaxed, but with a professional and sophisticated air.

2. Begin With the End in Mind

This famous piece of advice, originally presented by Stephen Covey, author of “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” is just as applicable to job interview tips as anything else in life. What do you want to communicate most in your interview? What are your key messages, and what do you want the employer to be crystal clear about?

If you just go in there thinking you’ll just wing it and take anything they throw at you, you might pull it off if you’re a quick thinker, but you’re still going to be all over the place. Determining your main communication goals beforehand gives you an overlying theme for your interview that will form as a foundation for any answers you give, even for completely off-the wall questions.

3. Get Clued-in

There is nothing more impressive in a job interview setting than a candidate who walks in the door knowing the company’s top issues, who key planners are, and what is going on in the industry. This gives the interviewer a sense you are ready to get going right out of the gate. Do extensive research beforehand, and be ready to talk like a professional.

4. Popping Out the Props

Employers love the candidate who walks in with props. That doesn’t mean you should come in wearing a purple wig and making out with a mannequin, but come in like the super-employee with all the props that go with that role.

Bring the file you’ve collected about the company. A notepad with questions you have brainstormed beforehand. A couple extra copies of your resume and a portfolio.

Your portfolio can contain work samples, a writing example, a spreadsheet analysis, photographs of you in action, a specifically impressive letter of recommendation, and an “atta boy” letter from a satisfied boss or client.

Stick this all in a nice looking bag or briefcase and you have just become candidate of the year.

5. Image is Everything

Making the right choices for what gear to wear to a job interview is a finer balance than you might think. Sure, you want to dress nice, but never dress nicer, or above, the interviewer.

That said, your clothes and appearance should be immaculate. Take your outfit to the cleaners so your suit is crisp and spotless. Shoes should be polished with no tatty heels. Get a fresh haircut and make sure to have a nice shave.

If you even choose to wear perfume or cologne, keep it subtle— this job interview tips is not for you to seduce someone here. Subtlety is best for jewelry and makeup as well.

These basic job interview tips will get you started on the right foot and hopefully into a job.

Do you have any other job interview tips to share with your fellow readers? In this economy, people can use all the help they can get.

There are still some little lost souls out there that seem to think making a resume is unnecessary. Good luck with that one. This is not a step of the job-searching process you can decide to sit out.

Here are 5 reasons making a resume a top priority is the only choice.

1. Protocol

Wake up for a second and take a glimpse at reality. Making a resume has and always will be a part of the job hiring process. Convention demands you follow suit. If you are in job search mode, you are expected to hand in a resume. It’s as simple as that.

2. Positioning

Your resume does not only display the fact that you have it together enough to realize it is an expected document, but if written correctly it also serves the purpose of giving you a chance to present yourself in the most professional manner possible. This first glimpse into your world offers a chance to stand out in a way a mere application could never do. After reading your resume, employers should have the impression that you are an A list player who knows how to deliver results and make an economic impact on the company.

3. Process

Aside from the fact that it is expected of you, preparing your resume is a process that sharpens your abilities while at the same time giving you the confidence of seeing your accomplishments and traits laid out on paper. It reframes your life history not just for the people you wrote it for but for you, and once you’ve done that, you have built a mental framework from which to verbalize your experiences come interview time.

4. Permanent Reminder

While your resume might not be exactly carved in stone, it is a tangible representation of you that typically stays in the office—something they can go back to again and again, unlike a phone conversation or interview. While much of the hiring process really comes down to the basic dynamics of human attraction, hiring managers will go back to the resume to justify their reasons for hiring you to both to themselves and those in the company you haven’t yet encountered.

5. Profit

When you learn about making a resume the right way, you will find that a dynamite business resume documents your bottom line profit orientation. In other words, skillful resume writing teaches you to not just talk about strengths and experience but to talk about what the company cares about most—and that is your potential for being a profitable investment.

A good resume is an outline of how you have done this in the past and how you intend to do it for the company. Your ability to make them a healthier or more profitable institution, in turn gives you greater job security and ammunition for commanding a higher salary—applications don’t present that opportunity.

These are basic ideas about what not turning in making a resume can do as far as limit you in your search, but what it all comes down to is that if you really think a resume is not necessary for getting a job, think long and hard about the kind of jobs that take applications and nothing more. Do you really see yourself in a lifelong career with a company of that caliber?

Do you have any stories where not making a resume screwed up your chances of getting hired? Or maybe you have a story to share where your resume really impressed and ultimately led to a job. Chip in and share.

Sometimes one of the most satisfying feelings in the world is getting that first phone job interview. Imagine when your phone rings and it’s someone ready to give you that first chance. Often, this first chance would set the tone for the rest of the relationship. If you get this just right, you’ll land a possible great career opportunity – and it would’ve been all thanks to your phone job interview. Don’t get me wrong, you still need to get past the face-to-face interview, but it sure is better than nothing, and for the companies that do this it is a first crucial step.

While it may feel like less pressure because it is over the phone, there are a few ways you can screw this critical appointment up, so keep in mind these 5 hidden dangers in phone job interview.

1. Realize it May Last 15-45 Minutes
This means if you accept phone job interview, you better have the time. The last thing you to do is rush answers or get off the phone early because you didn’t have time to finish.

Allocate up to an hour just in case. There’s a chance they might call you out of the blue while you’re sitting on the toilet and ask if you’re available right then and there. It’s always better if you are able to grab the opportunity, but if you’ve only got 20 minutes, it might be just better to reschedule.

2. You’re Being Screened for the Real Deal

What a lot of hung-over college kids don’t stop to consider is that phone job interview is really just a way to screen out the candidates they don’t want to come into the office. Keeping that in mind, realize the aim is to find out if you fit the basic criteria for the job.

This is where your research comes in, and it’s best to have a board set up in your home or a notebook you can carry with you that lists specific information about the jobs you’re currently pursuing, what they are looking for, and how you can communicate that. Go over this stuff before your interview and make sure you pass the screening.

3. Consistent Answers

Another thing the phone job interview serves as is a bull-shit test. It’s pretty easy for them to have your resume and application on hand while they’re talking to you, and they will be sure to check if the answers are consistent. It’s best to not be a bull-shitter at all, but keep a copy of the particular resume you gave that employer on hand just in case.

4. Enthusiasm and Interest

Your employer will also be paying attention to your level of enthusiasm about the job. Get excited about it. Get pumped. It doesn’t mean you should start spazzing out and asking them to fax you an autograph, but come across as exited and determined, as if you feel the job is the right fit for you and you are the right fit for the job. Once you have some solid interviewing skills under your belt, you shouldn’t be pursuing any jobs that aren’t your idea of a dream job, so it shouldn’t’ be a problem to be enthusiastic.

5. Relevant Questions

As some relevant questions about the position at the end of the call. This once again displays your enthusiasm. It also shows that you understand the position and know what you are getting yourself into.

These tips will help you navigate phone job interview, but the overlying concept and something to keep in mind is that these are really not much more than a screening process.

The number one goal you should have in mind when in this situations is getting that face-to-face interview. Because that’s where true attraction and personal bonding happens.

This is why doing well on a phone job interview is sooo very important.

Do you have any other tips to add? Any awkward moments? Please share your phone job interview experiences in the comments below!

How to write a job resume is your first effort to get your foot in the door, and if you don’t make a strong impression, you might not get in there at all, at least not with this company. Or until the next time they hire. So unless you want to wait around for the “better man” to get shit-canned, you need to get it right the first time. And one of the best ways to do that is stand out.

Here are 4 proven tips about how to write a job resume and stand out in the modern day job-hunting climate.

1. Include a Portfolio with Your Resume

This underrated trick might even come across as common sense, but it amazes me how many people fail to use it. The thing is that most job-hunters feel they do not have enough working experience or that a portfolio doesn’t apply to the industry, but this is an area where creativity can go a long way.

What better way to give an employer an idea of what you are capable of than simply showing them. If your job is based around a special skill, consider preparing either a collection of past works or something specific for showcasing your skills and turn it in with the resume.

Not only do you stand out because you’ve done something no one else is doing, but now they have one candidate they know can produce results on one hand, and a handful of mystery candidates who they still have to analyze to even get an idea of what to expect.

2. E-resume

If you are trying to figure out how to write a job resume in a way that it really gets out to the most employers possible, you should set up a resume on the web. LinkedIn.com is one fantastic place to make your presence and availability known, and the social networking platform allows you to build relationships and network.

More and more employers are looking for qualified candidates on LinkedIn, and simply having a presence there can help you stumble across opportunities or make opportunities stumble across you, while you are sleeping.

3. Audio Resume

Stand out while at the same time making the interviewer’s job easier by making an audio version of your resume. This can inject a lot of personality into the brief presentation and is still a novel enough approach that it will not be forgotten. You can upload the audio with your online resume or burn it to a cd and hand it in with the hard copy version.

4. Video Resume

Video has taken the Internet and the world by storm, and everyone is an amateur filmmaker these days. Now, savvy interviewees are capitalizing on this platform by making video resumes, and there is no better way to let your personality shine through other than lurking over their shoulder as the read your resume, which might not go over well. Embrace technology and make your voice heard.

These 4 simple tricks offer some fresh ideas on how to write a job resume that is current and clued in.

Do you have any more ideas on how to write a job resume? Let’s hear them.

Writing a good cover letter is SUPER important because it is a possible future boss’ first impression of you…ever…and if the impression isn’t a good one, you’re not likely to get your foot in the door. So it’s important to get it right. No scratching out a half-ass description of your social life on a piece of lined paper; writing a good cover letter is yet another part of the interview process you need to take extremely serious.

Here are 5 things for writing a good cover letter that an employer craves. Get it right, or go home jobless:

1. Their Name

You always want to do some research to find out who the letter is going to. I don’t care if you need to make some prank phone calls, dig through the office trash, or kidnap their intern—you have to at least pretend you know who you’re dealing with. This shows you are resourceful and are not just applying to any opening you can find.

2. Proper Formatting and Grammar

The second thing they’ll be looking for is that you know more than basic 9th grade English. I know—the nerve of employers these days, right? It doesn’t matter what kind of job you’re applying for, your ability to compose a professional document simply shows that you are able to present yourself in a professional manner.

3. A “What’s In It For You”

Put a “what’s in it for you” statement as the opening of your cover letter. This is crucial for a couple different reasons. For one thing, Generation Y is already notorious for being the me-me generation, so this shows the employer that you are focused on what you can deliver them.

Also, it gives you a chance to stand out right off the bat. Employers naturally care about, well, what is in it for them. That’s what they are reading the cover letter for—so put it right there where it is easiest to find it. “I will be the best investment your company has ever made because…” and give proof.

4. Bulleted Benefits

One of the tricks to writing a good cover letter is to break down the top benefits of the “you” package into bullet points with short descriptions. This is a great organization tactic because it gives the visual appearance that you have a lot of value to offer, it clearly states and hopefully quantifies that value, and it makes it simple for the employer to quickly scan the cover letter and get the info you want to communicate most. That way they can get back to watching porn on their computer.

5. Clear Statement of Contact

Don’t make them hunt, squint, and scrutinize about how to get in touch with you. State specifically a time and day when you will get in touch with them and do it at that exact moment. This is a solid display of professionalism and shows assertiveness. Also, include your contact info clearly so they can get in touch with you first if needed.

There’s a lot more to writing a good cover letter, and some college grads don’t even know the point. Trust me, there is a point, and this is not something you want to decide doesn’t matter so you can smoke a bowl and go shoot some hoops with your buddies.

Writing a good cover letter is a necessity, and these 5 simple points will give the employers what they want and need. Have any others to share? I’d love to hear them.

Hey landon, I read your book and it was a very good read, couldnt put it down. One question, what would a person wear for an interview for a trades job? I am applying for a job that Midwest Energy Coop posted for an Apprentice Lineman. I am not a person who likes to dress up much but I will if it means a job.

Thank You for trying to help those who are trying to help themselves.
Dan J.

(Name changed to initials for privacy)

>>>My Comments:

Hey Dan,

I’m glad you enjoyed my book! Thanks for the kind words, it means a lot 🙂

To get to your question, here’s what I recommend for your situation: Always dress 1 level above what everyone else wears in the company. In almost all instances I’d suggest wearing a suit & tie. You can never really be too “over dressed” for a job interview unless you’re wearing a tux. Even if you’re applying for a trades job, you need every little advantage to set you apart from your competition. If you’re afraid of looking stupid by being too “over dressed” for your industry – don’t be, because employers KNOW that its hard out there for job seekers and they’ll look favorably on you for putting the extra bit of effort that other tradesmen neglect.

(Take my word on this, I used to work in the construction industry for 3 years and I can tell you it doesn’t make a difference what industry you’re in… Employers appreciate professionalism and effort. Period.)

Keep in mind also that its not just about how you’re dressed but how you’ve demonstrated your value during the interview. And remember to “naked proof” your accomplishments. Dressing nice is only the icing on the cake. If you really want to STAND OUT, “translate your contribution” just like how you learned in my book.

Hope that helps! Let me know how your interview goes 🙂

~Landon

Did you like these job interview tips? Because your future employer will. There’s plenty more where this came from. Just enter your name and primary email address over on the right and sign up for my FREE “Interview Tips That Work” e-newsletter! Your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you ever decide my e-newsletter is not for you, you can unsubscribe at any time.

To celebrate my reaching 4,500 followers on Twitter, I’ve decided to have a contest for everyone in our little job seeker community :^)

Here’s what I’m going to do:

I’m going to GIVE AWAY a free copy of my Unspoken Rules of Getting Hired eBook package (worth about $170) – to the person who posts the MOST interesting story about his or her job hunting struggles… in the comments below.

As “Brain Food” I’ll list some questions you might want to answer in your “entry” below…

Now, this fun little contest is going to draw quite a few entries. No question. In order to keep things INTERESTING, I’m going to set a few quick rules…

>Rules:

1) You must write something INTERESTING. No one-liners that say “the economy sucks” or “there are no jobs out there.” I’m not even going to APPROVE comment entries that aren’t thoughtful, interesting, and REAL.

[***Bonus Points: Upload a video to YouTube of 5 minutes or less where you describe how you’ve struggled in your job search and give specific examples. Be sure to tag your video with “imm contest” in quotation marks. Click here to see what it should look like when you are uploading your video.Then leave a comment on this post with a link to your video and a brief description of what hasn’t been working for you (no need for more than 1-2 short paragraphs)***]

2) Do all of this no later than 10pm EST next Saturday, February 27th (in other words, start writing NOW).

3) I and a few secret judges will select our top favorites, and then you all will vote for the winner. I’ll also Tweet the name of the winner on Twitter, of course!

So get to it, and post a comment below telling your story about how you’ve struggled on your job search. You just might win $170 bucks worth of my best interview training!

Your carefully crafted cover letters and resumes are considered worthless if you do not have a clue where to submit them. In the midst of this recession, you might get yourself lost and lose your path to success and these documents you spent so much time perfecting will do nothing but look pretty in the documents file of your computer. However, behind the curtains of the economic depression, there lies wide and broad range of job openings that you can imagine are found conveniently online. So, if you really are tough enough to pursue your dream job, here is a list of top 50 job sites and their descriptions.

Entry Level Job Sites:

After College – this is specifically created for college students and recent graduate students. This is both a job and internship site that allows job seekers to post their resume. This site has a search engine, providing job seekers easy access to numerous job openings across different states. For more convenience, job seekers can filter their job search by job type, area, industry, and type of career. The site also offers information and career advice.

CollegeGrad – currently, the number 1 entry-level job site as it provides job search service for college students and recently graduated students. It is probably the only entry-level job site that list down the Best in Class Employers, Top Intern Employers and Top Masters Employers. The site also offers job search advice and virtual career fair. Furthermore, it allows resume posting, and internships searching.

College Recruiter – a job site designed for providing entry-level job and career opportunities for college students, recent graduate students and graduates. It also displays part time and full time job listing.

Raytheon – offers job listings and descriptions for the current job opportunities. It has jobs section that gives every job seeker the chance to look for the perfect job according to their field of interest, location and job type choice. It has profile matching and internships and co-ops features to help college students and recent college students have hands-on experience. The site also offers recruiting events specifically for North America.

The Job Box – This job site is open to high school and college job seekers. It brings job opportunities from seasonal and part time job to entry-level job and internships. Job seekers can search using keywords, job category and location. The site includes career news and resources.

International Job Sites:

BilingualCareer.com – site dedicated to bilingual or multi-lingual job seekers. For the sake of communication, the job seekers are required to be at least knowledgeable in the English language. The site also allows job seekers to search by location, industry and keywords. In addition, job seekers can search by language. This job site also provides advice on job interviews and resume creation. Job seekers can post their resume here.

Indeed.com – it is a meta-search job site that aims to pull thousands of job postings from different places around the world. It compiles together job postings from major job boards, top newspapers, professional associations and career centers. Job seekers can browse by title, company, location and keywords.

jobalot.com – this is one of the mega-meta job sites that use simple job search interface. From hundreds of job sites and thousands of job listings, job seekers can simplify their job search by searching using keywords and location, and browsing by category. In this site, job seekers can learn about job hunting process. The site is also dedicated to providing information about continuing education opportunities.

Jobs.NET – a job site that accommodates job seekers across the globe, allowing them to browse through thousand of jobs, post confidential online resumes and receive tips and advice about job hunting. Job seekers can search by criteria, such as keywords, location, recent job postings, salary, job position, industry, company size and so on.

LatPro – this site is dedicated to provide assistance to Hispanic and bilingual professionals. It is a leader in online employment all over the world, giving job seekers the opportunity to scan through job listings from employers that are pre-screened. It also allows job seekers to post multiple resume, create email job agent and access career resources.

Monster.com – considered one of the oldest career sites online. It has thousands of job listing across the globe. The site includes career advice, relocation services and an auction-style marketplace, perfect for independent professionals.

Prohire.com – it includes more than 150,000 job postings from all over the world. It is one of the free job sites with the largest database. Job seekers can submit and post their online resumes and check out job competition and openings within their location.

TwitterJobSearch.com – this is Twitter’s job search engine for job seekers twitter users. Job seekers can search jobs using keywords. The results are then displayed using tweets.

Yahoo! HotJobs – considered one of the best resource job sites online. It offers job search resources for job seeking professionals, free of charge. Online users can create their own personalized career management page that provides the necessary tools for fast, convenient and safe job search.

General/Diverse Job Sites:

Best Jobs in the USA Today – this is a job site with comprehensive resource. It is integrated with job databases, corporate profiles, post resume feature and career resources center.

CareerBuilder – probably it has the largest diversity of job listings. It posts help wanted ads from the leading newspapers today at the same time provides job listings and openings from leading employers. As its name implies, the site helps to build a job seeker’s career by providing resources such as job tips and advice.

Careerjournal.com – allows job seekers to broaden their job search. It has great resources of articles that guide job seekers on their job hunt. The site is created by The Wall Street Journal.

CareerPark.com – Posting a resume on this site is relatively easy. Also, it brings convenience to job seekers searching for job using the Internet. In this site, job seekers can find other helpful career and job sites online, increasing and widening their options.

DiversityWorking.com – This site is perfect for ethnic and sexual orientation groups. As a diversity job site, job seekers are allowed to search for jobs by posting recency. In addition, seekers can search by location, job type, industry and keywords. Furthermore, job seekers are given an option to either sign up or not in the site’s free newsletter. Also, job hunters can post their resume here.

FreshJobs.com – a site endeavors to provide the freshest job listing online. Its database consists only of job postings not older than 7 days. The job search can be filtered by skills, benefits, location, company and type of job. For job matching service, job seekers are required to sign up. Post a resume here and get a confidential mailbox.

GOJobs.com – considered as a general job board, this site provides help to job seekers searching for job openings. The job listing can be browsed by state, keyword and job function. Also, it is a site dedicated to bring information to job seekers.

Jobfox – utilizes Mutual Suitability System to match job seekers to job opportunities. This job matching sites has an in-depth profile system to be able to learn the job seeker’s experience, wants and needs. The job opportunities are rated based on how the job seeker matches the job description. Also, the employers are matched the same way. This job site has membership fees.

JobSimply – a job site providing wide range of job opportunities from part time jobs and summer jobs to professional and executive jobs. Job seekers can look into retail jobs, hospital jobs, restaurant jobs, teen jobs and cruise ship jobs. They can search through industries, locations and keywords. The site also includes resources about career tips and advice.

Jobzerk – a job site that is socially driven, allowing its members to interact and communicate to each other. As a community based job site, job seekers can publish and share useful information about their job search and/or hiring process.

Juju – this is one of the best job sites for finding interesting career resources. In this site, job seekers can look into 15 different job sites such as CareerCity, CareerMosaic, JobOptions, NationJob and so on. Searches can be quickened using keywords.

NationJob Network – a job search service integrated with thousands of latest job listings. It features company profiles and it is incorporated with email job matching service, based on your qualifications and preferences.

Net-Temps – one of the top job sites where job seekers can scan thousands of job postings and post their resume. The job postings include contract, temporary and even permanent jobs. The site is designed with tools and resources, including career enhancement articles.

Realmatch.com – a job-matching site that requires job seekers to submit their qualifications and preferences and matches the information provided to the employer’s requirements. Job seekers can use the job listings to search for job by keyword and location.

Vault.com – this site has more than 150,000 job postings from up to 27,000 employers. Due to its popularity, the site branched out into recruitment. It has insider reports on different companies and it allows job seekers to search through multiple criteria, including job categories, keywords, experience, location and date posted. The site also has email job matching service.

Local/National/Specific Job Sites:

Careercast – One of the coolest job portals that feature niche and local jobs from all over the United States and Canada. It gives job seekers the freedom to choose where they want to live and work. To search for a job, job seekers can filter the job listing by title, category, and company. There is also an advanced option to better target the right job openings for the job seekers. Also, the portal gives job seekers the opportunity to post their resume.

CareerSurf.com – It accommodates US and Canadian job seekers from different industries and niche. Job seekers can search for different types of jobs using job category, location and keywords. It also accepts resume from job seekers and posts them.

EmploymentGuide.com – This is a good option for searching jobs locally on the United States. Currently, the site developed around 56 metropolitan areas job listings. As a career site, job seekers can post resume and find helpful career advice on this site. And with the integration of localized job areas listings, job seekers can now look for job position in a prospective geographic area.

FindARecruiter.com – This is ideal for job seekers looking for recruiting or hiring professionals such as headhunters, executive search and staffing firms. The job seekers can browse into the site’s database with more than 10,000 recruiters. For searching option, job seekers can use the company’s name, location and specialty.

GetTheJob.com – It is a job portal specifically designed for direct employer jobs only. It collects different job posts from different corporate career centers of different companies. When approximated, this site probably has at least 2 million of job openings information. For email alerts, job seekers are required to register.

JobCircle.com – It is considered the largest non-newspaper affiliated job board in Mid-Atlantic, operating in 10 states. The site provides information, discussion and careers. Job seekers can browse and search for the job they wanted and they can also post their resume.

Jobcentral – formed by the alliance of two non-profit associations, this site has an extensive network across US. It provides employment and career opportunities to job seekers in different industries and job category, from entry-level to chief executive job position. Job seekers can search by company.

Job Search Shortcuts – providing links to thousands of job listing web pages, job seekers can browse and search jobs in up to 30 metropolitan areas nationwide. For faster search, job seekers are allowed to search by category and by city. This site connects job seekers to their prospective employers.

LocalHelpWanted.net – it is incorporated with numerous features and benefits for job seekers. The site allows job seekers to view and narrow the job listings by state and major city. The members can post different kinds of resume, including audio resume, video resume and portfolio once registered. This site has a membership fee. However, job seekers can still use the basic services without a cost.

myCareerSpace – allows job seekers to search by category, region or keywords. It accepts up to five different online resumes for applying online job openings. The site is integrated with job hunting resources such as career expos, salary, relocation, insurance and so on.

SnagAJob.com – it is probably the largest job site for searching part time and full time jobs. It is built with career resources and advice and job seekers can scan the job listing by job type, and location. It also has email alert feature upon registration.

thingamajob.com – a free career site, allowing job searching and online resume posting. It has job alert feature and career tools for job seekers to utilize. Job searches can be done by job categories, location, keywords and date posted.

Professional/Niche Job Sites:

Dice.com – this is designed specially for technology professionals. It is great job and career site that provides more than a thousand of job openings for professionals. The job list can be filtered for search convenience by job type, location and employer. It securely protects confidential profile from job seekers, making job seekers’ resume safe from devious minds. Here, job seekers can find useful career resources and they can create email job alert.

USAJOBS – open to job seekers looking for information about jobs and employment in the United States Federal Government. The job listing can be viewed by keyword, occupation and location. Job seekers on this site can post their resume and register for job matching service. The site also has resource and tips for job seekers interested in working at the government.

VetJobs.com – designed specifically for veterans and transitioning military personnel. It also accommodates job seekers with relation to a veteran and it allows job seekers to post resume online. The job openings include all levels and types of jobs. Job seekers can view job results by type, keyword and location. The site also includes key resources for veterans.

New Concept Job Sites:

The Interview Exchange – a job board that rates job seekers based on how closely they matched on the job position. The job seekers can receive the job matching results via email. Also, it permits job seekers to post their resume.

Jobirn: Insider Referral Network – known for its uniqueness, this site has a job board, online job interview system and employee referral system, connecting job seekers to employees of their prospective companies. The purpose of the employee referral system is to assist job seekers in getting a referral.

JobShouts! – a job site that uses the power of social media. It helps create connections and provides job matching results for job seekers. As much as possible, it delivers real time job postings at the same time automated one click searching from different social media networks.

Jobs in Pods – this is a web 2.0 job site. It gives job seekers the opportunity to listen to their prospective employer’s jobcast. This includes audio interviews that discuss the company’s culture, benefits and how to and where to apply. The podcast comes with blog post for information and links about employers and job postings.

LiveHire – one of the innovative job sites today. Through this site, job seekers can get online interview via webcam. However, job seekers need to submit their professional profile first and if employers are interested, they will contact prospective employees via email. This is highly recommended for long-distance job search.

Simply Hired – Job seekers can be updated when new jobs are listed via email, social media networks, blogs, homepage and even through mobile phone. This is a job search engine for searching job listings using keywords. The results will come from multiple resources.

Featured Sites:

LinkUp – a job search engine with new and unique features. The site has the list of more than 20 thousand jobs from company websites. It is always updated with comprehensive job listing. Job seekers can search by title, keyword, and by location. The site is also built up with WorkSearch, a tool to track how long a jobseeker is searching for a job. It also has Tabs feature where in a job seeker can keep track of his job searches.

TweetMYJOBS – a job board that provides notification of open positions INSTANTLY via short messaging service. The site tweeted thousands of jobs within a day and at least a million in just a month. This new innovative service brings together recruiters, hiring managers and job seekers. Browse jobs by company or by location.

Lets face it – In today’s economy, you are up against a HUGE uphill battle when it comes to starting your career. Even if you figured out what you want your career to be, chances are you wouldn’t have a fighting chance at securing it because you don’t know how to promote yourself to employers.

It comes down to simply not having a lot of options to choose from in this job market. Sure there might be lots of job openings out there…but if that’s the case, why aren’t you hear anything from employers?

Well what I’m about to tell you might shock you…so put on your tough suit of armor because I’m not going to try to “save your feelings” about this. What I’m about to tell you is the TRUTH and if anyone tells you differently BITCH SLAP THEM AND RUN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!

Ok not really, but seriously…Here’s what most they aren’t telling you…

IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO PROMOTE YOURSELF TO EMPLOYERS…

YOU WONT HAVE A CAREER. PERIOD.

(Yeah I said it…)

I mean think about it… If you want to kick off your career after college you need to know how to PROMOTE yourself to hiring managers. If you want to get a raise and move up the career ladder, you need to know how to PROMOTE yourself to your supervisors. Even the dude who got a job from one of his daddy’s golf buddies had someone “promoting him” even if he didn’t do it himself. For most of us regular peeps who don’t have all the high-level connections, we rely on our own street smarts and for some it comes easier than it does others.

So why don’t employers just hire us? Why do we have to learn how to promote ourselves to employers?

Well there’s a long list of reasons…and most of them come from the misconceived perception that college grads these days (or “Millenials” as they call us) are:

Too entitled

Too lazy or unmotivated

Too social

Hard to manage

Not enough experience

Not open to feedback

Not open to self-improvement

(Just check out my Free Report, “The 10 Most Dangerous Mistakes YOU Probably Make With Employers And What To Do About It…” and I’ll break it down for you…)

And all of these reasons are rooted from the same source:

Not knowing how to promote yourself as a candidate who ISN’T one of these types of Millenials.

Are you following me?

And this is the problem that has been plaguing millions of other college grads who are struggling to find something in this crippled job market.

So here’s what I’d do if you want to have a career that others would KILL for:

Learn how to PROMOTE yourself as an A-player.

Not only that but learn how to become an A-player as well. Period.

Why? Because A-player’s have something that many of us unemployed college grads can only dream about.

They have unlimited career OPTIONS.

They are sought-after by companies in EVERY industry. And they are among the top 5% of candidates out there. They can move between industries without any problems because they know how to network, and they ARE highly networked. They know how to MARKET themselves to employers and they know how to make their PERCEIVED value higher than 95% of the population.

Bottom line, if you want a great career, learn how to become an A-Player first! Then you’ll be able to select ANY career you want from a buffet of possibilities. Choose not to become one, and you’ll be forced to “settle” for all the “scraps” that no one else wants.

Don’t let life pass you by for another second. Building yourself to be an A-player is probably one of the most important things you can do for your career and life if you want to have the freedom to experience life instead of being forced into a situation that just “pays the bills”.

If you want to learn more about how to become an A-player, I strongly recommend you check out my Free Newsletter. I’ll send you tips, tricks, and strategies to help you go from being just another “average” candidate to being a “heavily armed jobseeker” in a matter of weeks. You’ll learn about employer psychology, getting around phone interviews, building rapport with body language, negotiating salaries, and everything else that’ll help you get hired in less time.

So what are you waiting for? Go sign up for my Free Newsletter and jumpstart your job search RIGHT NOW.

Imagine what it would be like if you could just sit down and bang out the perfect resume from scratch in no time flat… without ever having to go through the whole “staring at a blank screen for HOURS” phase…

How cool would that be?

You wouldn’t have to procrastinate your job search any more or experience that sinking feeling in your stomach every time you think about working on it.

A lot of times when I’m trying to come up with content for my resume I almost always run into writers block. My mind draws a blank and I never get past a few lines of text. It’s frustrating as hell because I can be sitting in front of my computer for an entire day and have nothing to show for it.

After studying famous copywriters and reading TONS of books on how to become a better resume writer (and writer in general), I’ve stumbled across a little gem of knowledge that’s really helped take my resume writing to the next level.

This concept can best be explained like this… Imagine you’re in a sculpting class and there’s a barrel of clay going around from desk to desk giving each student enough clay to work on sculpting for the day.

Now the rules are simple: When the barrel comes to your desk, you have 10 seconds to grab as much clay out of the barrel as possible. As soon as your time is up, the barrel moves on to another desk and you are only allowed to work with what you were able to get in the 10 seconds you were given.

Now, what would you do?

The smart thing to do, would be to do nothing else but shovel clay out of the barrel for the 10 seconds that you have! Because if you don’t, chances are you won’t be able to make much progress on your masterpiece.

But that’s exactly what most college students (and experienced professionals) forget to do when it comes to writing content for their resumes. What they do instead is they grab a little clay and start editing, write a sentence or two, and edit some more… and they don’t get very far.

So gather clay first à then sculpt later or rather, write first –> edit later.

Turns out, the human brain can only focus on ONE thing at a time. We really do have a one track mind in that sense. I mean think about it… Can you ever really have 2 totally different thoughts at the same time? I’m not talking about being able to pat your head and rub your stomach…or watching TV while you’re doing homework… those activities don’t require THOUGHT.

What I’m talking about is being able to do your Math homework while simultaneously writing a paper… You cant!

Its impossible.

Our brains just aren’t wired that way.

The next time you sit down to work on creating new content for your resume, pay attention to what’s going on. What you’ll notice is that you’ll look at what you’re writing on the screen and you’ll go back and fix all the little typos as they happen.

STOP!

This is what’s screwing you over…

What just happened was your brain went from being in a creative state to analytical / editing state. Instead of maintaining momentum in creating and getting into the “flow” state, you slammed on the brakes and robbed yourself of gaining any real ground… this is what causes most beginning writers to take up an entire day to come up with material.

But its not YOUR FAULT that this happens! Its just how our brain is wired. This is all going on subconsciously and AUTOMATICALLY and almost no one knows its going on as its happening!

So in terms of writing our resumes, what I’ve discovered is that our brains can only be in 1) creation mode or 2) editing mode in any given moment. What most of us tend to do is we write a little bit in our resume then analyze the hell out of it and we write a little more then analyze it again and it turns into this orgy of writing and editing that never really gets us anywhere.

Eventually we give up, and say things like, ”Fuck this… I’ll just wait till spring quarter and then worry about sending out resumes.” Which if you’ve read my Opportunity Cost of Senioritis Article, you’d know that’s not the best idea when it comes to finding success in life after college.

What we need to do is focus ONLY on creation for a period of time and ONLY on editing for a period of time. That’s the secret to eliminating Resume writer’s block and being able write MORE content in LESS time.

And here’s are my resume tips for how to do that…

STEP 1) Open MS Word so that you have a blank screen

STEP 2) Close all other programs on your PC or MAC so that no “pop ups” will come up

STEP 3) Turn down the brightnessof your screen till its BLACK (or turn off your monitor so that you don’t see ANYTHING on your screen). By doing this, you’re making the creation state INEVITABLE by eliminating ALL chances of distraction or impulses to edit.

STEP 4)Setup a digital timer or Google an online countdown timer and set it for ONE HOUR

STEP 5) Write and DON’T STOP WRITING UNTIL THE TIMER GOES OFF!

Keep in mind, as you’re writing you WILL make mistakes. Its bound to happen and its OK. Just go back and edit what you’ve written later. That way you’ll at least be able to have some content to sculpt instead of staring at a blank screen for hours and getting distracted by facebook or email, etc.

So now that you know how to get over your writer’s block, I want you to sit down and pick 1 previous work experience and write for one hour using this method. Then in the comments area below, let everyone know how you did. If you know of any other tricks, go ahead and leave them on here as well and maybe we can all create a nice collection to share.

Have you ever wondered how to apply for jobs that are related to your major but don’t have anything to do with your previous work experience?

If so, you’re not alone. I’m going to teach you a concept that’ll not only help you gain more control and popularity in your job interviews, but it will also help you avoid looking like every other clueless candidate that walks in through their door.

I call this concept, “Experience Alignment”.

So first things first, what is Alignment anyway? If you visit Wikipedia.org, it’ll define Alignment as the adjustment of an object in relation with other objects. So in other words Alignment means to “line up”.

Well in the context of interviewing and getting hired, “Experience Alignment” means to align your previous work experience with the kind of relevant experience that your prospective employer is looking for.

For example, if you want to work for a marketing firm, and your studying sales and marketing in college, but the only kind of experience you have is a part-time job being an insurance intern for 2 years, what do you think would be going on in the head of the hiring manager who’s interviewing you?

Do you think they’re going to see you as being very aligned with wanting to be in the marketing industry? What do you think you’d ideally like to see from a candidate?

Maybe someone who’s had some work experience in the field of marketing perhaps? Even if the position was an unpaid volunteer position for a non-profit marketing organization, wouldn’t you think that would look better than having work experience in a totally unrelated field? Or even worse, no experience at all?

“So how can I get my experience Aligned?

STEP 1:Take a look at your past experience and ask yourself, “Is there anything I can salvage from my already existing work experience?”

So if we take the example above, and lets say you happened to help your insurance employer hand out some flyers to unsuspecting people at a busy intersection to build a little local brand awareness. On your resume, you may want to consider putting an emphasis on the ”marketing” experience you gained instead of talking about answering phones or pushing insurance papers…

Are you following me?

You want to stay inalignment. Once you’ve broken down all of your existing previous work experience, and sucked all of your relevant experience dry, you’ll want to move on to the next step…

STEP 2:Focus on GETTING MORE EXPERIENCE… in your field of study.

I know. Painfully obvious isn’t it? But why don’t people ever do anything about this? Well for one, people will always gravitate towards the path of least resistance. Its just human nature. On one hand it might SEEM like it requires a lot of effort. But in reality its not all that difficult. It just requires a little WILL POWER and MOTIVATION.

I remember a few years ago, I had a friend in college who I gave this advice to and he was like, “Yeah, but that sounds like a lot of work… Maybe I’ll get to it someday in the future…” And low and behold, a few house parties later, he had completely drank away any memory about this advice and never did anything different. He just continued on with his life, totally unaware that his experience wasn’t aligned, and he dug himself deeper and deeper until one day he found out he’d have to move back in with his parents and give up his freedom for an entire year all because he didn’t have any relevant experience regardless of his major.

So if you don’t want that kind of future for yourself, ask yourself this, “What can I do to start getting more relevant experience?”

If you’re drawing a blank, how about switching part-time jobs if you’re currently employed? There’s some food for thought… Other things you might want to try are volunteering at industry-held charities or attending an event held by industry associations.

Think for a moment and try to come up with a list of some of your own ideas.

Once you’ve made your list, you can move onto the final step…

STEP 3:Get off your butt and TAKE ACTION.

Depending on how bad you want the job… this can be a walk in the park, or it can be like pulling teeth with pliers if you’re not 100% committed to getting a job RIGHT NOW. My advice? Get outside of your comfort zone and implement at least 1 item from your list TODAY! If you start CHANGING YOUR BEHAVIORS by actually doing something different than what you’ve been doing in the past, I guarantee you’ll start seeing result IMMEDIATELY.

So in the comments area below, let everyone know what YOUR experience has been, and maybe we can all help each other get some Alignment on our job search.

Scene 1 (Setting is a typical interview):

Hiring Manager: “Why should I hire you?”

You:“Why shouldn’t you hire me? Pssh… cause I’m better than all the other idiots out there…duh!”

Ok.. maybe you shouldn’t use that kind of approach on your next job interview… but really lets take a closer look at this typical interview question and see what’s REALLY going on behind the curtain… Have you ever asked yourself why employers ask this typical interview question in the first place? Could it be that that they’re really just trying to get under your skin? To see if you’ll crack? Or do you think its to see what you’d come up with on the spot? See how you do under pressure?

You know what? It could be all of the above in my opinion. It’s obviously a typical interview question, but how you answer it can really say a lot about you. Sometimes it’s what you don’t say that stands out.

But if there’s one key takeaway you should learn from this post, if nothing else, it would be no matter what your answer is to this typical interview question, it should ALWAYS be in employer’s best interest…. In other words, “WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM”… And it really helps when you actually put some forethought in this (since it is a typical interview question you’ll be asked time and time again) ahead of time instead of spouting out a bunch of “overdone” responses like, “I’m a hard worker, I’m good with people, I’ll do a good job for you…blah, blah, blah”

You think this is the first time they’ve heard anyone say that before? Yeah right! You’re probably the 1034th person to walk in through that door with the EXACT same rehashed bologna and employers can see right through it! Don’t settle for the lazy way out… Put some effort into it… some passion… REALLY.

Here’s a clue for what I would do on a typical interview…

[WARNING: This approach is definitely not for everyone. But with enough practice, I can guarantee you one thing: They’ll remember you long after the interview is over and it will be remembered as more than just a typical interview!]

Step 1: Study their job posting and figure out exactly what they want

Step 2: Cater your answer to the “Why should I hire you?” question to match every single one of the requirements on the job posting.

For example:

Let’s say a job posting is for an administrative position and says, “Must be organized and be able to multi-task.”

Ok… so what could you say as a response to “Why should I hire you?”

How about… “You should hire me because I’ve proven time and time again for my previous employers that I have an exceptional ability to keep my projects organized and efficient. And as I’ve mentioned in my resume, I was able to keep our office and project files organized while simultaneously being able to help my direct supervisor establish a filing system, distribute press kits, , , etc (you get the idea). So if you’re still looking to hire someone who can be exceptional at multi-tasking while being able to keep your office organized… you just need to ask yourself one question… and that is: “Would hiring anyone else OTHER THAN me be a good business decision? [pause for effect]

Like I said, this approach might be a bit more “aggressive” to a typical interview answer for most people out there who are currently stuck in their “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing even though it’s not working” mentality… but if you don’t want to continue to be broke and unemployed… you just gotta ask yourself one thing…

How bad do YOU want this job?

Hope this entry helps. Now do me a favor and leave me a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

Happy hunting! And have fun creating a unique, tailored answer to this typical interview inquiry!

Everyone knows that our economy is in shambles. Jobs are scarce and everyone is worried about money. As a job seeker it can really be a major pain in the ass when it comes down to figuring out how to write a resume.

After years of studying the hiring process and learning how to become successful with interviewing and landing jobs consistently, I’ve discovered that the first step in getting hired ultimately comes down to being able to GET THE INTERVIEW IN THE FIRST PLACE. And this can be done by learning how to write a resume.

1) Learn How Hiring Managers Think – How will you persuade employers to interview you? How can you make yourself look good enough on paper so that hiring managers will be convinced that you are worthy enough to bring in for a job interview? That is probably the most challenging assignment there is when it comes to creating a resume. Take Sun Tzu’s advice from The Art of War, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Study hiring psychology. Study the hiring process. Figure out what employers are REALLY looking for.

2) Write With Their Needs In Mind – If you give employers what they want, they’ll listen to you. What does every employer want in your resume? That’s hard to say, because every employer has a different job that needs to be filled. Its your job to figure out what they want and deliver on those needs in your resume. Hiring managers generally ask themselves a few questions when they pick a resume to read. Here they are:

“Who cares?”

“So what?”

“What’s in it for me?”

When you think about it, hiring managers are looking over your resume for their reasons, not yours. They don’t care what you want. They care about what they want. Every employer, every hiring manager, is the same. Can you provide the answers? If you cant, your employers—well, you wont have any employers. Consider this step a part of your research phase in how to write a resume. Its an essential step in how to write a resume that will nail your future employer’s eyes to the page.

That’s what you want, isn’t it?

3) Select The Format That Gets RESULTS – I get this question a lot from my clients, “How should I format my resume?” And do you know what I tell them? Use whatever format that does the job and gets you the interview. Period.

Now it turns out, there have been some formats that have been statistically proven to drive the best results and some formats that have been proven to drive the worst results. Based on my research, I’d recommend using the accomplishment based resume format and I would never EVER use the skills based (or functional) resume format.

4)Learn How To “Word-Smith” Your Accomplishments – This is where most of us “non-writers” get stuck in the resume writing process. “How do can I make my responsibilities sound really good?” The answer: Learn how to write a resume with hypnotic text. Learn how to build desire. Emotion. Learn how to let your words paint a picture and tell the story of your previous successes. Reel them in with benefits and curiosity. And give them reasons or logic for why they should interview you. Think about the hiring manager’s emotional concerns, and talk to them in a way they cant ignore. If you do, you’ll create a resume that is both persuasive and hypnotic. For example:

Are you beginning to see why its important to learn how to MARKET yourself to employers?

5) Learn Resume Design Principles – Did you know studies of resume screeners have shown that “pretty” resumes are more likely to get into the interview pile than an “average” looking resume? Its true. This fact has been proven countless times. Having a resume design that is both simple and professional is crucial if you want to be able to stand out among the masses. The key is to make your resume look inviting and easy to read. You have to ask yourself, “If I were forced to read through thousands of resumes as my job, which ones would I naturally be biased towards before ever reading a single word?”

Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and wide margins. If you pick up a resume and it’s a solid block of text, would you want to read it? Probably not. It’s not inviting. It looks like work. Instead make your resume attractive. How you lay out your resume is a key factor in how to write a resume which can make people like it before they even read it.

As you can imagine, how you use those secrets is up to you. Go through your resume—go through the entire document—with these pointers in mind. Look for places to rewrite, reformat, or in any other way grab and hold your reader’s attention. And as you absorb this information, you’ll see that a resume is not merely a piece of paper used to convey your work experience. Its actually a marketing tool used to PROMOTE you as someone worthy of a job interview.

If you want to stop feeling powerless during your interviews, and start having more control over the outcomes of your job search, one of the most important things you can do is start learning powerful, tested, GUARANTEED methods to influencing your prospective employers.

And I’m going to give you a simple, 3-step formula for learning how to do this. If you do these three things, you WILL get more job offers, period.

Use these steps to get more interviews and land the kind of job offers you want.

1) Start with the inner game FIRST

In this new economy, experience and technical skills alone will not get you hired. Success with getting hired starts with what’s inside of YOU… and the single most important thing you will ever do is to learn how to build a “rock-solid” foundation of confidence and power inside of you.

When you develop this unshakable feeling of self-confidence you’ll notice some very interesting things happen in your job search…

Hiring managers that you meet will all of a sudden become VERY interested in getting to know you… even to the point of pursuing you… just to find out what you’re all about.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can just “decide” to have.

It takes a lot of hard work…

Fortunately through my own struggles I’ve developed some almost “magical” techniques for overcoming fear and boosting your self-confidence FAST, but I won’t have time to go over all of them with you right now. Just trust me, when you get your inner game handled, you’ll be AMAZED at how everything else just seems to fall into place.

And best of all, you’ll never have to worry about not having income or being unemployed ever again.

2) Learn lots of tested techniques that WORK

Ever get frustrated with not knowing who to address your cover letter to because almost every job posting you come across wont include a contact name?

Or have you ever been confused with not knowing which way is the best way to format your resume… but you didn’t have any CREDIBLE professionals to ask for advice?

These situations happen all the time… and all too often college grads end up missing out on opportunities because they don’t know “what to do”.

I’ve found that the key to avoiding missed opportunities is to have at least one “default” thing to do in every situation… whether it is finding the contact info for who you should be addressing your cover letter to, how to format your resume, or knowing what to say on your first phone interview… and everything else up to “negotiating salaries” and beyond…

Do you see where I’m going here?

When you have an arsenal of powerful, tested techniques that work, you can take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself… and never worry about things not ending up “your way”.

And after you spend a day or two learning them, you’ll spend the rest of your life using them to get any job that you want.

3) Build and participate in a “MasterMind”

Possibly the most important action you can take right now to create success in your job search is to build and participate in a “MasterMind”.

What is a MasterMind, you ask?

A MasterMind is a group of people who have common interests and goals, who get together on a regular basis to support each other in growth and development toward actualizing those interests and goals. Traditionally, masterminds were used by high-level business owners and wealthy people to get support and feedback in their ventures. It was and still is used by people who understand that the power of the “group mind” is exponentially more powerful than the sum of the individual minds from which the group is composed.

For the sake of your job search, lets just say your MasterMind should be a dedicated group of people who are actively searching for jobs in the same industry if possible.

If you want to learn more about this, I’d recommend Napolean Hill’s book “Think And Grow Rich”.

Hill said that no individual can achieve great power with out a MasterMind. My experience (and the experience of every powerful person I’ve ever researched) confirms this idea.

Now do me a favor and tell me what you’ve learned in the comment area below. Enjoy!

I am going to give you one of the BEST Resume strategies that I have ever learned… and I actually picked it up from a book written by a psychologist by the name of Robert Cialdini called Influence which is a NY Times, USA Today, & Wall Street Journal Best Seller.

And what I am going to deliver to you is what I believe to be the STRONGEST resume strategy that I’ve ever used…

Now before I do, I’d like to talk about how I came across this little secret of mine…

The resume actually has multiple purposes but for this training video, we’ll talk about its primary purpose aside from making YOU stand out… and that is to convert JOB POSTINGS into INTERVIEWS.

I used to have friends and teachers who would tell me getting hired is just a numbers game… just keep on going on interviews and eventually someone will hire you…

So for about a month, I went home, sat down in front of my computer and applied to probably 50-60 jobs and I would maybe get 1 or 2 call backs at best. Which really frustrated the hell out of me! I always said to myself, “There’s gotta be a better way to do this! How can I go on more interviews if no one ever calls me back??”

So I made it my goal to get really good at using my resume as a vehicle to convert job postings into interviews by using a whole new approach that I learned from Robert Cialdini’s book Influence…

In his book, he talks about a concept called Social proof.

If you’ve never heard of this concept before, Social Proof is basically the idea that whenever we’re in situations where we don’t know what to do, our brains will default to relying on the behaviors of others to determine what course of action to take…

In our everyday life, we see this in the form of word of mouth and friend referrals.

I mean think about it… When you want to buy a book on Amazon or rent a DVD on Netflix what is one of the biggest factors that would influence your decision on which book or dvd you want to take home?

It’s the feedback or testimonials that were written based on the experience of real people.

If you see a book or dvd that has zero ratings on it, you’re less likely to take the leap and get it when compared to a book or dvd that has 5 stars or even 1 star on it.

You see we can use the same strategy on our own resumes. After all if it works for multi-multi-million dollar companies like Amazon and Netflix, then it can work for us as well.

Most employers, when they look at your resume they see only what YOU say about yourself, so its hard for them to trust you since most of the time people embellish what they have on their resumes anyway.

This isn’t new for most Employers… (and is also the reason why all the GOOD companies make you go through the really intense interviews to see if your for real or not)

And another thing: There’s allot of psychology that goes on behind the scenes as well. Thanks to businesses like Amazon and Netflix who’ve already trained their customers to respond positively to testimonials, people AUTOMATICALLY feel more trust when they see it. Sure there might be some skeptics out there who say testimonials are fake or they never trust testimonials or whatever, but if you’re really in the market to make a big purchase… choosing a product that has already been proven to work by others could only to be your advantage when compared to the alternative of taking a gamble on something that no one has ever heard about.

Are you starting to see how powerful it can be to have social proof in the form of testimonials on your resume?

I want to introduce you to a concept I’ve learned from a BRILLIANT entrepreneur by the name of Eben Pagan. And that is the idea that most people can be categorized as Givers and Takers.

In life, the "Givers" tend to give more than they "Take" and the "Takers" tend to take more than they "Give"… now this is obviously a gross generalization but there is some truth to this concept.

One of the biggest challenges employers face when they get hundreds of resumes and applications is that it’s hard to decipher the "givers" from the "takers". Let me give you some examples.

Givers
• Give as much value as possible no matter where they go.
• They put in extra hours to get the job done or meet a deadline
• They don’t have "expectations" or feel entitled in anyway
• They’re aware of the needs of employers and their supervisors and they do everything in their power to find a way to have those needs met
• They motivate team members and are optimistic and they help others create as much value as possible as well
• Basically they are value producers instead of value consumers.

Takers
• Take as much value as possible wherever they go
• They clock in at exactly 8 and clock out at exactly 5…they’re just "there" to collect a paycheck
• They feel entitled to get paid allot of money with all the benefits while putting in as little effort as possible
• They don’t care about the needs of employers and their supervisors and they don’t take responsibility for driving the project to completion
• In team environments, they act as an emotional drain by being cynical or pessimistic. They find more joy in gossiping and playing office politics than they do in looking out for what’s best for the team.
• Essentially they are always consuming value and looking out for #1 instead of contributing value and making life easier for others.

So what’s the lesson here? Be a Giver not a Taker when you sell yourself in your next job interview.

Now do me a favor and leave a comment below to let me know your thoughts…

I’ve been getting allot of e-mails from frustrated college students who don’t know what went wrong during their job interviews and would like to know why. So, I thought I’d share with you one of my best techniques for doing this.

But first, I’d like to talk a little about WHY figuring out what went wrong or well during your job interview should be considered a high priority…

And it can really be summed up into one sentence: Getting feedback from your interviews is very important because it allows you to actually learn from your mistakes. PERIOD.

Think about it…

What if you went to school every quarter (or semester) and you didn’t have to do any of the homework assignments…

Wouldn’t that be awesome?

But here’s the catch- In order to pass the class, you’re required to pass an incredibly difficult final at the end of the quarter… What do you think would happen if this were reality?

Now, unless your one of those brainiac geniuses who are capable of acing tests without studying for them… I’m pretty sure you’d do pretty poorly on it. Either that or you’d have to get pretty good at not procrastinating, right?

It’s not a very hard concept to understand-If you don’t get any feedback from your professors on whether or not you’ve learned the material correctly throughout the quarter… you will fail the final. Game over.

The same thing is true with our job search and job interviews. If you are able to figure out what you’re doing wrong in your interviews, you will become more confident as a result of the success you’ll be able to achieve from the feedback you gather.

You’ll feel empowered because your answers will be so impactful that employers will begin to sell their companies to you since they won’t want to lose you to another competitor… not to mention it could very well tip the scale in your favor when it comes time to making the final decision for who the employer would like to hire.

On the other hand…

If you are NOT able to learn from your initial mistakes and you continue to make them over and over again, you will continue to have no impact on employers.

Just like passing your class at the end of the quarter would be left purely up to chance, achieving success in getting a job would be left to chance as well and soon you’ll find yourself living back home with your parents wondering why no companies want to hire you…

…and you’ll slowly creep into a feeling of hopelessness and into a "feel sorry for yourself" kind of depression, while all your other friends are out pursuing their dreams…

So if you want to avoid this kind of future, listen up because I’m about to share with you a VERY powerful technique for figuring out what went wrong during your interview…

I call it "Self-Injected Feedback"

It involves taking responsibility for capturing the interview and taking the initiative yourself in getting someone who’s CREDIBLE to give you feedback.
And here are the action steps for you:

1. Pick up or borrow some sort of voice recorder or Tunetalk & iPod (many cell phones have a recorder function that could work as well…)

2. Bring it with you to your next job interview and secretly hide it inside one of your suit jacket pockets before you enter into the office building where the interview is going to take place.

3. Right before you’re about to be called in for your interview, secretly go to the bathroom or covertly turn on your voice recorder to START recording…

4. During your interview, act normal and try to focus on the needs of the employer instead of focusing on the microphone that’s in your pocket. (Be careful not to obstruct the microphone piece or to move around too much while you’re answering questions because you will get allot of static noise when you play it back).

5. After the interview, STOP the recording and save the audio file in a safe place. (Tip: Other than checking to make sure it recorded, do not listen to your recording right away. Go home and take a load off)

6. The next day, listen to your interview and make some notes on your performance.

7. Take your recording to a CREDIBLE professional who you trust (preferably someone who is pretty high up in the corporate ladder or even better is a CREDIBLE interview expert/guru) and get feedback from them on how you could’ve done better and TAKE NOTES! (Tip: Make sure you create a list of things TO DO and things TO AVOID)

8. Lastly-Before your next job interview, review your notes carefully and focus on incorporating what you’ve learned proactively putting into ACTION the recommendations that were given to you. (Note: The amount of success you get from using this technique will be directly proportional to the QUALITY of feedback you get from the professional you asked)

In the long run, you will end up with more awareness regarding the mistakes that you’re currently making, and it will significantly increase your chances of being able to consistently get a job offer with every interview that you go on.

This is just the beginning.

If you want more techniques like this, subscribe to my "Interview Tips" newsletter by visiting http://www.interviewmastermind.com/ or download a FREE trial of my new compelling eBook called The Unspoken Rules of Getting Hired: Recession-Proof Secrets That Employers DO NOT Want You To Know…

I used to have no idea if I was doing well in a job interview as a college student.

I could be sitting there while the hiring manager was wrapping up the interview and I’d be thinking to myself "Hmm-I wonder if I did well during this interview or not…" but I didn’t know what signs to look for. This would often leave me worried and anxious for DAYS, and many times WEEKS, as I didn’t want to over step my boundaries and flat out ask them what they thought of me.

Here’s what I recommend for my clients to do now:

When the hiring manager asks if I have any questions at the end of the interview, I’ll go through my normal routine of questions while saving the best for last…

"So what steps should we take to continue this conversation?"
(Tip: Don’t worry so much about WHAT the interviewer says as much as HOW they say it…)

So, after I ask them this question I’ll make sure to laser in on their eyes and lips for any signs of interest or disinterest. If a person’s eyes dart from side to side, it might appear as though they’re looking to see what else is going on in the room. (PAY ATTENTION HERE…because this is where you can use a "Cool Psychology Trick" to tell if the hiring manager likes you…)

…But if you do some research behind what’s really driving this kind of behavior, you’ll discover the reality is that the human brain is actually searching for an escape route.

Think about it…

When you’re with someone who can literally bore you to tears, your natural urge is to look away for an escape route. But because most of us have learned by now that looking away while another person is talking is rude, what we end up doing instead is looking even more at the boring individual and we unconsciously use a tight-lipped smile (as opposed to a sincere smile) to pretend that we’re interested.

So, the first place to check to see if the hiring manager is interested in you is the area around the eyes. Natural, sincere smiles are generated automatically by a person’s unconscious brain and as a result, they produce wrinkle lines beside the eyes that reveal the true feelings of a person, whereas, insincere people smile only with their mouths.

By using "The Wrinkle Test," I now have a SUBTLE way of knowing if the hiring manager is interested in me that NEVER puts me at risk of over-stepping my boundaries-and I know within 5 seconds what it used to take me days or weeks to figure out… (That is, only if the employer decides to contact me… which as we all know, rarely ever happens)

And if you’re like me, you’ve already tried all of these "tips" and they really didn’t help you all that much in landing that interview you really wanted. Well what I’m about to share with you is probably one of the MOST important lessons I’ve learned when writing a cover letter to prospective employers.

This lesson has taken me several YEARS to figure out, and I want you to have it because I know what it’s like to put yourself in the line of fire-feeling incredibly depressed, completely demoralized, and de-motivated because no employers will call you back for an interview.

So, do me a favor…

I want you to imagine for a moment that you’re looking to buy a flat screen TV. You see a good-looking 52″ TV ad in the store window and you walk in to check it out. The most important questions in your mind are:

• Will the picture hurt your eyes?
• Can you mount it yourself?
• And of course, How much does it cost?

Now lets say a sales clerk approaches you and says, "The TV was designed by John Baird…Its DT Certified…I feel like it would look real nice in your living room…Would you like to buy it?" Wouldn’t you think there was something wrong with this dude?

After all, you want to know what the quality of the picture is, if it’s easy to mount on a wall, and how much it costs. Why would you care to learn about the history of the Television? And don’t you think it would be a little presumptuous for the clerk to assume it would look nice in your living room? Shouldn’t this guy at least acknowledge what YOUR interests are before making all these claims?

Yet this is the same approach we take when we write our cover letters. And it happens-ALL THE TIME.

And what happens as a result of this?

We create BORING cover letters.

We talk about how, "During my college career, I attained a strong academic background in ." We say things like, "I feel that I could apply my education and experience to your company." And finally, we finish our letter with something like, "I look forward to your reply to this application."

…And we wonder why employers barely skim over our "masterpieces" before they toss them aside. I swear I’ve seen hundreds of cover letters that literally was a variation of what you just read. Hell, when I was in college, my cover letter read the same way so I’m right there with you.

I used to have no idea if I was asking the right questions after a job interview.

I could be sitting there while the interviewer asked me if I had any questions, and I’d be thinking to myself "What should I ask, that’ll really make me look smart and prepared?" But I didn’t know what to do, so I’d always depend on my Google supplied ‘interview questions to ask employers’ list as a crutch. This would often leave me sounding stilted-like every other college student, and many times I’d be at home wondering why I didn’t get the job, as I didn’t get a second chance.

Here’s what I do now:

When the interviewer asks if I have any questions at the end of the interview, I’ll ask…

"Who would you point to as a top performer in this position?"
(After they’ve given me the person’s name, I’d hit them with my next question…)

"What traits make him or her stand out?"
(I’d make sure to listen very carefully and take detailed notes on the specific traits that this interviewer values. Lastly, I’d ask my final question…)

"What specific actions or behaviors make him or her so successful?
(This one is CRITICAL. I’d be sure to capture ALL of the interviewer’s thoughts on what THEY think makes this top performer so successful in my notes…)

When the interview is over, I would go home IMMEDIATELY and write a killer follow up letter to each of the interviewers I met with. But not just any "generic" follow up letter that anyone could find online… Instead, I’d come up with a personal or professional success story that displayed the same attributes as the top performer based on the notes I had taken during the interview. Then I’d simply weave it into my follow up letter and send it out.

By using "The Maverick Follow Up Technique" I sound genuinely curious about the interviewer’s top performers, but by being very SUBTLE about it, I haven’t given them any hint at what I’m really after. I now have a way of knowing what the interviewer is really looking for in a candidate without asking them directly-and I know within 5 minutes what used to take me hours or days to try to figure out…

So what is YOUR dirty little secret question you like to ask employers?

Leave your best question ideas in the comments below, and let’s create a great collection to share!

Lets face it. Its pretty much common knowledge that if you screw up your first impression before the interview, it’ll be an uphill battle for you in closing any position. That’s why many so called "interview experts" hammer in the importance of putting your best foot forward and making a fantastic first impression. Well in my opinion, aside from getting dressed and looking all fancy for your interviews, the hands down best way to make an unforgettable first impression is knowing more about the company and its VALUES than your competition does. Knowledge is power after all.

So what’s the best way to increase your knowledge about the company you’re about to go on an interview with? Why not get it straight from the source? …by calling the employees of the company and ASKING.

"But what if I mess up?" "What if I make a bad first impression?" "I dont want to RISK screwing up my chances with them."

These are all valid questions and worries that most college students have. Which is all the more reason why you’ll be able to stand out… because you’ll know something that they don’t. Most college students don’t get the juicy information that they need to succeed because the majority of the population prefers to follow the same antiquated strategies that our parents used when they were our age. Think about it, if you use the same strategies as everyone else? How is it possible to even have a chance at standing out and getting the job that you want? I say we need a different approach. One that has never been used by anyone in the past and is fit for the high demands of today’s high paced society.

If you follow my "Secret", Jedi Mind Trick technique I can promise you that you will feel like you’re in more control during your interviews instead of the other way around when you’re asked a tough question. Instead of tongue-tied or regretting that you should’ve spent more time researching the company, you’ll be confident, collected, and in control of your thoughts and emotions.

You’ll be able to walk away from the interview knowing that you gave one of the best responses out of all your competition because of the information you collected and organized from this technique. But if you choose to ignore this technique and fail to implement it, you’ll lose your one shot at making a good impression.

So how do we get around looking stupid?

Good question.

I’d like to introduce you to a concept I like to call Suicide Calling. Suicide Calling is where you partner up with one of your friends, preferably someone you know and trust who is known for being very charming over the phone, and you have them 3-way call (with you on the other line) one of your prospective employers as a potential candidate expressing interest in the position that you’re applying for.

Give your friend a list of questions to probe for in which you can use for your interview (company health in current economy, names of hiring managers, dept. heads, associations or charities that the company supports, etc.). There will need to be some preparation and coordinating done on the front end before making the call, and you success will be directly correlated with the quality of your questions.

What I love about this technique is that your friend (the suicide caller) does not have to lie about his name or where he goes to school or any of his background. In other words, he doesn’t have to get into "character" or be deceiving or any of that junk. Your friend can totally be the charismatic person he/she naturally is (which is what you want them to be because the technique works better that way).

The biggest benefit to this technique is that your friend literally has the license to crash and burn and everything would be cool because its not you that’s making the call. No risk. Plenty of reward.

Often times I’ll encounter a friend who is skeptical and hesitant about volunteering their services for this tactic. What I recommend you do is be the suicide caller for them FIRST and let them see for themselves how the process works. Sometimes people just need to understand the process before they’ll want to commit to it… and that’s O.K. Once you’ve succeeded in finding some valuable information for your friend to use in their job search, you’ll be surprised at how willing they’ll be in returning the favor to you.

Once you are able to retrieve the juicy information that you need, you’ll be able to connect with your interviewers at an entirely new level. You’ll start noticing everyone from across the table all of a sudden hanging onto your every word. The hiring managers will be eager to hire you because you’ll be able to demonstrate that you already know more about their company than any other candidate whose sat across from them, which means less training time in getting you familiar with the company and more time and money saved. On the other hand if you dont get the inside information you need, your interviewers will be bored with you because you won’t be any different from any of your competitors. They will end the interview earlier and send you on your way so they can go back to interviewing REAL prospects, and stop wasting their time with you.

Its important to remember that not all suicide callers are going to be as charming as you’d like them to be and not all "gate keepers" will be willing to spoon feed you valuable information. Persistence is key. If you can get just one gold nugget of a piece of information to use in your resume or interview, it’ll be well worth the effort.

So there you have it. Now do everyone a favor, and leave your best ideas for getting a leg up on the competition in the comments below. Please don’t just write "good post" or "I like that"… instead, add some value and contribute to this conversation with an insight, a practice, or a resource that we can all use to have a better shot at getting hired in this economy. Thank you!

Take a minute and explain your biggest challenge when it comes to interviewing as a college student. I want to make sure I’ve covered every question and every aspect of getting a job in my new program.

Use the form below to submit your comment, and thank you for your help!